Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson spoke to CNN affiliate WLS about the reported attack against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, calling the crime “horrendous”.
He continued: “We don’t have anything that we’ve actually been able to view … He’s a victim right now, and we’ll treat him like a victim. He’s been very cooperative, and we have no reason, at this point, to think that he’s not being genuine with us.”
In his first public statement since the reported homophobic and racist attack in Chicago, “Empire” star Jussie Smollett provided a written statement to Essence magazine, thanking fans and attempting to dispel doubts and rumors questioning the integrity of his story.
Here’s what’s he said:
A neighbor who lives in Jussie Smollett’s apartment building told police she saw a “suspicious man” who had what appeared to be a rope outside the building, Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told CNN.
Detectives met with the woman and took her statement, Guglielmi said. The neighbor also told police she saw another man in the vicinity of the building.
A letter containing a white powder later determined to be aspirin was sent to the Chicago set of “Empire” days before one of the show’s stars, Jussie Smollett, was allegedly attacked by two men on January 29.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told CNN that the letter, received on January 22 at Cinespace Studios, where the show is filmed, prompted a response from the HAZMAT unit.
Guglielmi said authorities determined the powder to be aspirin, but declined to give details on the content of the letter.
The FBI is leading the investigation into the letter, he added.
A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox Entertainment, which produces the series, declined to comment when reached by CNN.
Jussie Smollett’s family has released a statement about his alleged attack in Chicago.
In it, Smollett’s family writes, “We want to be clear, this was a racial and homophobic hate crime.”
They say the “Empire” actor “has told the police everything from the very beginning,” and “his story has never changed.”
See the full statement:
Jussie Smollett said he was on the phone with his manager Brandon Moore when the actor was attacked near an entrance to the Lowes Chicago, Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told CNN.
Police have video of Smollett entering the Lowes after the alleged attack with what appears to be a noose around his neck. However, they have not found video of the incident at this point.
Guglielmi provided more details of the case to CNN. Here’s what we know now:
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked during a Wednesday night press conference about “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s reported racist and homophobic attack.
“Obviously,” the mayor said, “the alleged statement of what happened here is horrific and there is no place for it here in the city of Chicago.”
Chicago police released photos of people they’d like to talk to in the case involving “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, who was the victim of what police are investigating as a possible hate crime.
Investigators have located a surveillance camera that shows people who are now wanted for questioning, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Twitter. Detectives had not yet found still images or video of the actual incident as of late Tuesday evening, police told CNN.
Here are the two people police want to talk to:
The Chicago Police Department tweeted Wednesday evening that they found a surveillance camera showing “potential persons of interest wanted for questioning” in the reported attack on actor Jussie Smollett.
Police added that they were working on a community alert with photos.
Chicago police said they are expanding the search area for surveillance video of actor Jussie Smollett’s alleged attackers.
CNN’s Sara Sidner explained why:
Watch more:
Chicago police have “reviewed hundreds of hours of video” as they search for footage of the reported attack on actor Jussie Smollett.
They’ve now expanded their search to the Chicago riverfront, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.
Here’s Guglielmi’s full statement:
A Chicago police spokesperson tells CNN that investigators canvassed the neighborhood where the reported attack occurred on actor Jussie Smollett and have found no still images or video from security cameras of the incident.
A dozen police detectives with the assistance of the FBI are working the case on Tuesday, according to police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi.
The only image of Smollett police obtained from security cameras was inside Subway Sandwich shop near the location of the reported crime, the actor was standing alone.
Chicago police say Jussie Smollett did not mention the alleged attackers shouting, “This is MAGA country” during the initial police interview. Investigators heard the claim in media reports and called the actor. He later relayed it to detectives in a supplemental interview.
Police say they are testing the chemical Smollett claimed to have been doused with and have yet to confirm the nature of the substance.
Editor’s note: We are updating our headline on this story to reflect the latest information from Chicago police as they investigate Smollett’s allegations.
California Sen. Kamala Harris mirrored New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s description of the Jussie Smollett assault, calling it “an attempted modern day lynching.”
See the tweet:
Harris and Booker were co-sponsored of an anti-lynching bill that cleared the Senate last December (after years of failed attempts to do so), and which now lies with the House.
Chicago Police Department Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said police “continue to seek any available evidence/video to identify possible offenders in [the Jussie Smollett] case.”
He asked the public to report any tips to police.
“Thus far we have not found anything to be able put out a description,” Guglielmi tweeted from a verified account.
Senator Cory Booker, who is currently weighing a decision on whether he will run for president in 2020, just called the attack an “attempted modern-day lynching” and called on Congress to pass an anti-lynching bill he has co-sponsored with Sen. Kamala Harris.
That bill, would make lynching a federal hate crime, passed the Senate in December and must now be taken up by the House.
A representative for GLAAD told CNN the organization has reached out Smollett to offer assistance and support.
“Jussie is a true champion for LGBTQ people and is beloved by the community and allies around the world,” a GLAAD spokesperson said in a statement.
A growing list of actors, producers, writers and others in the entertainment industry have shared their reactions to the horrific reported attack on “Empire” star Jussie Smollet.
FBI Chicago Special Agent John Althen tells CNN’s Brad Parks that the FBI has no comment concerning any agency involvement in the Chicago police investigation into a possible hate crime against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.
“Empire” production company 20th Century Fox just issued a statement saying it was “deeply saddened and outraged” by the attack on Smollet, adding “we will work with law enforcement to bring these perpetrators to justice.”
See the full statement:
CNN’s Don Lemon spoke to Jussie Smollett and a mutual friend who was at the hospital with the “Empire” actor.
Lemon says Smollett confirmed the incident happened and was shaken and angry that an attack like this could happen. Smollett said he fought back.
