Investigation of attack on actor has ‘shifted,’ police say

CHICAGO — Police said Saturday the investigation into the attack reported by Jussie Smollett has “shifted” due to information received from two brothers investigated in the case, and police want to interview the “Empire” actor again.

Police released the two Nigerian brothers without charges late Friday and said they were no longer suspects in the reported attack.

“We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation,” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Saturday. “We’ve reached out to the Empire cast member’s attorney to request a follow-up interview.”

Guglielmi did not elaborate on what he meant by a shift in the case. A spokeswoman for Smollett did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Multiple outlets, including CNN, reported Saturday that investigators in the case, which was initially being explored as a possible hate crime, now believe that Smollett organized the incident.

Smollett, who is black and gay, has said he was attacked early Jan. 29 in Chicago by two masked men shouting racial and anti-gay slurs and “This is MAGA country!” He said they looped a rope around his neck before running away as he was out getting food at a Subway restaurant. He said they also poured some kind of chemical on him.

Reports of the assault drew outrage and support for him on social media, including from Sen. Kamala Harris of California and TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Smollett said he is cooperating with police and gave an emotional speech during a concert in West Hollywood on Feb. 2, saying that he went ahead with the show because he couldn’t let his attackers win.

Smollett also gave an interview to Robin Roberts of ABC News that aired Thursday, saying that he was “pissed” at people who did not believe he was attacked.

Earlier last week, police said media reports that the attack was a hoax were unconfirmed.

Police said they combed surveillance video in the heavilymonitored downtown Chicago area but were unable to find any footage of the attack.