[van id=”entertainment/2019/01/29/actor-jussie-smollett-attacked-orig-vstop-bdk.cnn”]
By Jennifer Keiper, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) Jussie Smollet plays Jamal Lyon on Empire who, like Smollet, is a gay black man. He has been on the show since 2015.
Chicago Police say Smollet was walking in the 300-block of East Lower Water Street early Tuesday morning when two men he did not know started yelling racial and homophobic slurs and then attacked him.
Authorities say the actor was struck in the face and a liquid substance was poured on him before one of the men wrapped a rope around his neck.
Smollett was hospitalized in good condition.
Chicago police say the investigation is being treated as a “possible hate crime” and Area Central detectives are asking anyone with information to call them at 312-747-8382.
@ 2019 WLS-AM
