JUSSIE SMOLLETT ISSUES STATEMENT ON RACIAL ATTACK
Jussie Smollett, seen in the television show Empire, who said he had been attacked by two men yelling racial and homophobic slurs, released his first public comments about the incident on Friday.
“Let me start by saying that I’m OK,” Smollett said in a statement released by his publicist.
Acknowledging some social media theories that the attack might not have occurred in the way Smollett said, his statement read: “I am working with authorities and have been 100% factual and consistent on every level. Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served.”
Smollett, who is gay, had reported being attacked in Chicago by two men around 2am last Tuesday as he was heading back from a late meal to the apartment where he was staying. He said they were wearing masks and yelled racial and homophobic slurs, poured some kind of substance on him and put a noose around his neck before fleeing. He was briefly treated at a hospital for cuts on his face and neck.
A spokesman for the Chicago police, who are treating the case as a possible hate crime, said investigators had found a video of Smollett entering the apartment building with some sort of rope around his neck resembling a noose.
On Wednesday, police said they were searching for two “potential persons of interest” spotted on a surveillance camera in the area where Smollett said the attack occurred. So far, the two have not been identified.
In addition, the FBI is investigating a threatening letter which was sent to Smollett at the Empire production offices last week.
President Donald Trump called the reported attack “horrible” when a reporter asked him about it in the Oval Office on Thursday. “Doesn’t get worse,” he added. But his son, Donald Trump Jr., known to disseminate conspiracy theories on his Twitter feed, retweeted an article this week about Smollett declining to turn over his phone to police.
“We have to remember, he’s a victim. You know so we have to treat it like he’s a victim. We have no reason to think that he’s not being genuine with us,” Chicago police superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said in an interview.
My body is strong, but my soul is stronger. More importantly, I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words.
JUSSIE SMOLLETT ACTOR