‘Empire’ cast member alleges he was attacked in Chicago
Posted January 29, 2019 9:46 am.
Last Updated January 29, 2019 4:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CHICAGO – Chicago police have opened a hate crime investigation after a cast member of the television show “Empire” alleged he was attacked by men who shouted racial and homophobic slurs at him and physically attacked him.
Police haven’t released the name of the 36-year-old cast member but Fox later identified him as Jussie Smollett. Police say he reported being attacked while walking downtown around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
— Empire (@EmpireTVSeries) January 29, 2019
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says the man reported that two men approached him and began shouting at him. He says they then struck him in the face and poured an unknown chemical substance on him before one of them wrapped a rope around his neck.
The man went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Guglielmi says the man is being treated at the hospital and is in good condition.
Police say detectives are gathering security video from nearby businesses.
Reaction on social media
Thousands of people are taking to social media to express their concern and denounce the attack on the actor with “Jussie Smollett” becoming a top trend on Twitter.
Empire co-creator Lee Daniels posted a video to Instagram saying it’s taken a bit to process the information about Smollett, calling him his son.
“You didn’t deserve–nor anybody deserves–to have a noose put around your neck; to have bleach thrown on you,” said Daniels in the video. “You are better than that. We are better than that. America is better than that. It starts at home… We have to love each other regardless of what sexual orientation we are.”
Another Empire co-creator, Danny Strong, opened up on Twitter to say he’s “deeply horrified and saddened by the racist and homophobic” attack on Smollett.
https://twitter.com/Dannystrong/status/1090304238029291521
Strong went on to say, “Whoever did this, do not forget that you are nothing but hate-filled cowards while Jussie’s talent and activism will continue to shine a bright light on to the world for decades to come.”
