In life, 28-year-old O’Shae Sibley worked hard to make his mark on the world by displaying his talents as a dancer.

“Somehow he had this ability to fuse all forms of dance together and he did it so seamlessly,” said Jaquan Fields, Sibley’s childhood friend.

Fields said he grew up with Sibley in their hometown neighborhood of North Philadelphia.

He said their friendship blossomed, along with their creative talents, when they both attended an after-school program called the Village of Arts and Humanities.

At the program, Sibley was able to explore dance and Fields began to pursue his career as a circus performer.

“We took classes together, such as fashion design, modeling, hip hop dance,” Fields said.

Tragically, Sibley has become known as the man who was stabbed to death in Brooklyn for doing what he loved. He was dancing to Beyoncé's music outside a gas station.

The singer posted a tribute to Sibley on her official website, which said, “Rest in Power O’Shae Sibley.”

Surveillance video shows the moments before the dancer’s life was taken.

Witnesses said some men were angry that Sibley and his friends were dancing at a mobile gas station on the corner of Coney Island Avenue and Avenue P in the Midwood Sunday at around 1:30 a.m.

According to witnesses, the men allegedly ordered Sibley and his friends to stop because it offended their religion.

Witnesses said that led to a confrontation and soon, one of the men reportedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Sibley.

Police said EMS responded to the scene and took the victim to Maimonides Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

“Stabbing someone is the hardest, most cruelest thing you can do to a person,” Fields said. “It’s crazy. It’s unfathomable, to be honest.”

On social media, people who said that they’re Sibley’s friends and relatives posted about the stabbing and added Sibley was a professional dancer who identified as gay.

NY1 has learned that the NYPD is probing the murder as a possible hate crime.

“There’s no way in the world you should be racist or homophobic in 2023,” said Fields.

Outside Sibley’s Brooklyn apartment, candles could still be seen burning in honor of his life.

Loved ones and strangers would often say they knew his love for Beyoncé. Fields believes it’s fitting.

“He made his mark,” said Fields. “He only lived 28 years. But he made his mark in that little time.”

There are several events honoring Sibley‘s life that are coming up.

On Thursday, there will be a tribute to him at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan at 7:30 p.m.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m., at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in Manhattan.

On Friday, Aug. 4, there will be a demonstration at 6 p.m. outside of the gas station in Midwood, where he was killed.

Finally, there will be a celebration of life, also known as a home going service, for Sibley on Tuesday, Aug. 8 in his native Philadelphia at the Met Philadelphia at 11 a.m.