Chicago police release pictures of two persons of interest in Jussie Smollett attack

Jussie Smollett
(Image credit: Gabriel Olsen / Getty Images)

Police in Chicago want to question two persons of interest in the Jussie Smollett case.

Anthony Guglielmi, the chief communications officer for the Chicago police, on Wednesday posted photos of "potential persons of interest" he says were in the area of the Empire actor's assault on Tuesday. The surveillance camera photos don't show the actual attack, and according to CNN, police have not yet been able to find photo or video of the assault itself.

Smollett on Tuesday reported he was assaulted while leaving a restaurant by two men who poured a chemical substance on him, tied a rope around his neck, and yelled racist and homophobic slurs. Police at the time said they were treating the incident as a possible hate crime, and according to CBS News, Smollett told cops in a follow-up interview that the assailants yelled, "This is MAGA country!"

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.