Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez confirmed on Thursday that the stabbing death of O’Shea Sibley, which occurred outside a gas station in New York City last month, will be prosecuted as a hate crime. During a news conference shared online by the district attorney’s office, Gonzalez revealed that a grand jury had handed up an indictment for Sibley’s murder.
Gonzalez conveyed his deep concerns about the incident, stating, “O’Shea and his friends were allegedly targeted because they were being themselves, dancing joyfully to Beyoncé music at a Brooklyn gas station, harming no one and refusing to stop even when confronted with anti-Black and homophobic slurs demanding that they stop dancing.” The district attorney emphasized that the entire community had been victimized by this tragic and senseless loss.
Gonzalez announced that the case would be prosecuted as a hate crime, with joint efforts from both the homicide bureau and the hate crimes bureau. Prosecutors have engaged with the victim’s family by attending vigils and visiting them in Philadelphia for the funeral. Gonzalez expressed his commitment to a vigorous and thorough prosecution, particularly since the offender is a 17-year-old minor, whose identity has not been disclosed.
In security camera footage from the gas station, the 28-year-old Sibley was seen confronting the teenage suspect who was recording the group on his phone. Gonzalez highlighted that defending oneself against hateful comments does not justify resorting to violence.
“The gay and queer communities in our country feel particularly vulnerable at this time,” Gonzalez noted, acknowledging the rising hate rhetoric against the LGBTQ community and the enactment of laws in various states that appear to target this community.
The suspect has been charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime, among other counts. Due to the elevation of this case as a hate crime, the suspect faces a minimum of 20 years in prison, with a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. Gonzalez’s announcement underscores the significant legal consequences for such heinous acts driven by hate.