In a bizarre turn of events, Dmitriy Popov’s father has spoken after his son was charged with the murder of gay dancer O’Shea Sibley at a gas station. The man claims his son was the one under attack during the tragic incident. This shocking case has sparked intense debates and raised questions about self-defense, LGBTQ+ rights, and parental responsibility. The community is left bewildered by this unexpected twist in a story that continues to unravel with each passing day.
The father’s defense revolves around portraying his son as a victim rather than an aggressor in the tragic incident, but he is lying because the video doesn’t lie.
Popov, then 17, was accused of allegedly stabbing Sibley, 28, a professional dancer who was ‘voguing’ to a Beyoncé song as he filled his car up with gas on July 29, 2023.
Popov pleaded not guilty in August to second-degree murder as a hate crime. The fourth-year student at The Professional Pathways Sheepshead High School, had no prior run-ins with the law.
At the time of the altercation, surveillance footage captured a group of teens reportedly yelling homophobic slurs and anti-black statements to Sibley and his friends, according to surveillance footage ABC News Chicago reported.
Security camera video showed the argument had broken up and both groups had walked away when Sibley and his friends abruptly returned and crossed a parking lot to confront the white 17-year-old, who was recording with his phone, the Associated Press reported.
In the video, Sibley could be seen following the teen and then lunging at him. The stabbing happened out of a clear view of the cameras.
Officials said after words were exchanged the teen took out a knife and stabbed Sibley to death.
Popov then turned himself in as Brooklyn prosecutors charged him with murder, hate crime murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Mark Pollard, Popov’s attorney, told DailyMail.com that this is ‘a very strong case of self defense.’
‘There was no intentional murder here, and we plan on proving that after trial, and certainly they won’t be able to prove it beyond reasonable doubt to sustain these charges,’ Pollard said.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez previously reassured the public that the case would be taken ‘very seriously’ against Popov.
‘They were being themselves, dancing joyfully to Beyoncé music at a Brooklyn gas station,’ Gonzalez said.
‘We promise the family that we would have a vigorous, thorough prosecution.’
‘Defending yourself from being an anti-gay or an anti-Black comment and arguing back is not a cause for someone to take a weapon and do what was done in this case,’ Gonzalez added.
After delving into the tangled web of claims and counterclaims surrounding the tragic incident, it’s clear that the truth is as elusive as a cat chasing its tail. It’s hard to separate fact from fiction with accusations flying left and right like a food fight in a high school cafeteria. But one thing’s certain: this case is more twisted than a pretzel at a contortionist convention.
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