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TMZ is reporting that Empire star Jussie Smollet is hospitalized in Chicago after allegedly being attacked by two masked white men outside of a Subway restaurant.
According to the site, Smollett was walking out of the eatery at around 2 am when someone yelled “Aren’t you that f***ot Empire n*****?”
That’s reportedly when two white men wearing ski masks screamed “This is MAGA country!” A noose was wrapped around Smollett’s neck, and he was beaten to the point that a rib was fractured.
TMZ reports that he is recuperating at Northwestern Memorial.
According to That Grape Juice, Fox Studios received hate mail earlier this month targeted to the 36-year-old actor. Cut out letters from magazines spelled out “You will die black f**.”
The Chicago Police Department has issued a statement on the incident:
“A 36-year-old man was walking at above address when two unknown offenders approached him and gained his attention by yelling out racial and homophobic slurs towards him. The offenders began to batter the victim with their hands about the face and poured an unknown substance on the victim. At some point during the incident, one of the offenders wrapped a rope around the victim’s neck. The offenders fled the scene. The victim self-transported to Northwestern Hospital and is in good condition. Area Central Detectives are investigating.”
Chicago Police Department just sent out this statement re:
Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/DxQswZn8xd— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 29, 2019
Developing story…