Entertainment

Authorities Seeking ‘Persons Of Interest’ In ‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett’s Alleged Attack

REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
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Chicago police department said that “potential persons of interest” were wanted for questioning in connection to the alleged “assault and battery” of “Empire” star Jussie Smollett.

“Photos of people of interest who were in area of the alleged assault & battery of Empire cast member. While video does not capture an encounter, detectives are taking this development seriously & wish to question individuals as more cameras are being reviewed,” Chicago PD Communications officer Anthony Guglielmi tweeted along with two pictures Wednesday.  (RELATED: Alec Baldwin Arrested For Alleged Assault)

“Detectives located a surveillance camera that shows potential persons of interest wanted for questioning in reference to the assault & battery of Empire actor. A community alert [with]photos is being constructed and will be disseminated shortly,” Guglielmi tweeted earlier in the day(RELATED: Man Attacked At Cheesecake Factory For Wearing MAGA Hat Speaks Out)

It comes on the heels of earlier reports that authorities were struggling to find video evidence in connection with the alleged attack of the 35-year-old actor who said he was attacked by masked men near his home in Chicago Tuesday.

“CASE UPDATE: Tonight #ChicagoPolice detectives expanded the search area for cameras to be able to provide photos of the alleged assailants in this attack. Thus far, no video of the alleged assailants or a vehicle has been discovered but we are continuing to broaden our search,” the communications officer tweeted Tuesday night.

“The victim goes to Subway just after midnight and on his way back, he was attacked by two men,” Guglielmi stated. “They were masked and wearing black clothing. They called him an Empire … and they used a homophobic slur. They also used the N-word. They proceed to assault him, and they throw a chemical on him that may have been bleach, and put a rope around neck.”

Smollett said that he managed to get away and call the police. Officers “responded to the residence to take a report and the victim was still wearing the rope around his neck when they arrived. He explained to them why he had the rope around his neck, and the officers closed their body cams at his request, because they were in his private residence,” the police spokesperson added.

In a follow-up interview with authorities, police said Smollett told them that his attackers reportedly yelled out the “Make America Great Again” abbreviation, “MAGA.”

“In the initial reports there was no mention of MAGA,” the statement read. “When detectives [followed] up with him later in the day, he recalled the offenders making those comments and detectives completed a supplemental report.”