Cops raid Empire extras’ home in Jussie Smollett attack investigation
Cops raid the home of two Empire extras amid claims they’re investigating if Jussie Smollett staged attack by MAGA-shouting assailants ‘because he was being written off the show’
- CBS Chicago reporter Charlie De Mar tweeted Thursday afternoon that he’d spoken to family of the two men, who were both extras on Empire
- Hours earlier, ABC7 reported that police had confirmed two persons of interest were being questioned by detectives
- CPD Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that ABC7’s report about the incident being a hoax was unconfirmed by case detectives
Police have reportedly raided the home of two persons of interest in the Jussie Smollett case amid rumors of an investigation into whether the Empire actor may have staged the racist and homophobic attack last month.
CBS Chicago reporter Charlie De Mar tweeted Thursday afternoon that he’d spoken to family of the two men, who are both Nigerian and were extras on Empire.
He said police seized five bottles of bleach, a red hat, two laptops and other items from the home.
According to the CBS Chicago report, family members said the two men left for Nigeria on the day of the attack.
That account is consistent with earlier reports from law enforcement sources who said the men returned from Nigeria on Wednesday night and investigators met them at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
Hours earlier, ABC7 reported that police had confirmed two persons of interest – possibly the same men seen in surveillance footage near where the attack took place – were being questioned by detectives.
The news outlet claimed that multiple sources had said police were investigating whether Smollett and the two men staged the attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of Empire.
CPD Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi responded to ABC7’s report on Twitter, writing: ‘Media reports anout (sic) the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives.
‘Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted @ABC7Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate.’
Police have reportedly raided the home of two persons of interest in the Jussie Smollett case amid rumors of an investigation into whether the Empire actor may have staged the racist and homophobic attack last month
Source: Read Full Article