Attackers Reportedly Poured Bleach on Him and Wrapped a Rope Around His Neck
“Empire” star Jussie Smollett was hospitalized after being attacked by two men who brutally beat him, poured bleach on him, wrapped a rope around his neck, and told him, “This is MAGA country,” according to TMZ. Chicago Police also issued a statement (below).
TMZ described the two attackers as “MAGA supporters,” which is what some die-hard fans of President Donald Trump are called.
“Sources directly connected to Jussie tell TMZ, the actor arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday, and at around 2 AM he was hungry and went to a Subway,” TMZ reports. “We’re told when he walked out, someone yelled, ‘Aren’t you that f***ot ‘Empire’ n*****?'”
Smollett suffered a fractured rib. He was treated and released by a local hospital.
A HuffPost editor tweeted out a statement from the Chicago Police Dept. which describes the incident as a “possible racially-charged assault and battery” that they are treating “as a possible hate crime.”
While the statement mentions “homophobic slurs” it does not call it an anti-gay attack.
“Sources via ThatGrapeJuice.net also claim the Empire actor recently received a threatening letter in the mail with ‘You will die black fag,’ written in disturbing ransom-style cutout letters,” The Root is also reporting.
This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.
Image: Jussie Smollett/Instagram