Suspect in custody in the death of Philadelphia dancer O’Shae Sibley

A suspect in the killing of Philadelphia native and former Philadanco student O’Shae Sibley in New York last month is reportedly in custody.

A person turned himself in on Friday in connection with the fatal stabbing of Sibley, NBC New York reports. Earlier this week, police announced that a 17-year-old male was being sought in connection with the killing.

Officials have not yet identified the suspect.

Sibley, 28, was stabbed the night of July 29 while at a Brooklyn gas station located only blocks from where he lived. He was returning from a birthday party with a group of friends at the time.

Sibley and his friends were reportedly playing Beyoncé from the car and began voguing, a dance created and primarily performed by Black and Latinx LGBTQ people that imitates fashion models. A group of men approached them, and told them to stop dancing, and that they did not want to see gay men dancing in their neighborhood, The Inquirer previously reported.

Sibley was found by police with a stab wound to his torso, and died a short time later at a nearby hospital, MSNBC reports. The killing drew national attention because he was gay, and the men who approached him that night had used gay slurs during the altercation, the New York Times reported.

A motive for the killing was not determined, but police reportedly said a hate crimes unit was involved in the investigation.

A North Philadelphia native, Sibley moved to New York before the coronavirus pandemic, hoping to find better dance opportunities in the city. As a young man, Sibley studied dance at famed Philadelphia Dance Company, or Philadanco, until just before his move to New York, founder Joan Myers Brown previously told The Inquirer.

Even after leaving Philadelphia, Sibley stayed in touch with her. At one point, Myers Brown told The Inquirer, Sibley told her, “I just want to be famous.”

“But he didn’t want to be famous for this,” Myers Brown said.