Empire actor Jussie Smollett told Chicago police that his attackers seemed to know who he was before they beat him and tied a rope around his neck. The document notes that Smollett reported two men dressed in black and wearing black masks got his attention by mentioning the name of the TV show. The actor says the men then shouted racial and homophobic slurs and poured an unknown substance on him. Smollett is black and openly gay. The report says Smollett initially did not want to report attack, but another person convinced him to do so.

Source: Irish Examiner February 05, 2019 15:33 UTC