Case of ‘racist, anti-gay’ attack on US actor Jussie Smollett takes a radical twist, as two black suspects are arrested
- Jussie Smollett’s account of an attack by masked men who declared ‘this is MAGA country’ and put a rope around his neck had been met with scepticism from some
- Police said they had no reason to believe his account was a hoax, and arrested two Nigerian brothers, one of whom worked with Smollett on TV’s ‘Empire’
The investigation into black actor Jussie Smollett’s account of being beaten in a racist, anti-gay attack took a sharp turn Friday when police announced the arrest of two black men they believe assaulted the Empire cast member.
At least one of the men worked on the TV show, police said.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said authorities had probable cause to believe the suspects committed assault and battery against Smollett. But they had not been charged as of Friday afternoon.
Guglielmi would not comment on a possible motive.
Smollett, who is gay, has said two masked men shouting racial and anti-gay slurs and “This is MAGA country!” beat him and looped a rope around his neck early on January 29 before running away. He said they also poured some kind of chemical on him.
The police spokesman said that there is “no evidence to say that this is a hoax” and that Smollett “continues to be treated by police as a victim, not a suspect.”