Attacked actor defends actions

CHICAGO — “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett said Friday that he has been “consistent on every level” with the police during their investigation into what he says was a racist and homophobic attack on him in downtown Chicago earlier this week.

In his first public comments since he says two masked men attacked him early Tuesday in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime, the black and openly gay actor disputed assertions leveled on social media that he has been less than cooperative and changed his story.

“I am working with authorities and have been 100% factual and consistent on every level,” he said in a statement released by an intermediary a day after his family put out a similar statement. “Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served.”

Smollett, 36, told police that two masked men attacked him along a street in the Streeterville neighborhood as he was walking home from a restaurant. He said they punched him, hurled racist and homophobic insults at him, poured an unknown chemical substance on him and wrapped a rope around his neck.

On Friday, the head of the police department, Superintendent Eddie Johnson, said Smollett has been “very cooperative and we have no reason at this point to think he’s not being genuine with us.”