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By Janelle Griffith
Chicago police on Thursday announced that detectives have identified and are speaking with two persons of interest in connection with the alleged attack on “Empire” star Jussie Smollett.
Smollett filed a report with the Chicago Police Department on Jan. 29 stating that two men hurled racist and homophobic slurs before beating him. He also told police his attackers poured a chemical, possibly bleach, over him and put a noose around his neck.
“Through meticulous investigation,” Chicago police detectives “have identified the persons of interest in the area of the alleged attack of the Empire cast member,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a tweet Thursday morning.
“These individuals are not yet suspects but were in area of concern and are being questioned.”
The department said it is investigating the alleged attack against Smollett, who is black and gay, as a possible hate crime.
“We are pleased there is progress in the case and are waiting to hear further details,” his representative told NBC News.
The actor told ABC’s “Good Morning America,” in his first interview about the incident, that he is angry about the alleged attack and at those who doubted his story.
Social media users began to cast doubt over his claims after police said they were not able to find footage of the alleged attack.
“It’s like, you know, at first, it was a thing of, like, ‘Listen, if I tell the truth, then that’s it, ’cause it’s the truth,” Smollett said. “Then, it became a thing of like, ‘Oh, how can you doubt that? Like, how do you — how do you not believe that? It’s the truth.'”
“And then, it became a thing of like, ‘Oh, it’s not necessarily that you don’t believe that this is the truth, you don’t even want to see the truth,'” Smollett said to ABC News.
Police have said they have not found surveillance video that shows the alleged assault and battery, but then released images of the “potential persons of interest” from a surveillance camera located near where Smollett says he was attacked.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson has said he has no reason to believe Smollett is “not being genuine with” investigators.
As for Smollett, the actor said the incident has left a deep mark.
“I will never be the man that this did not happen to,” Smollett said. “I am forever changed.”