Multiple sources have told ABC7 Eyewitness News that police are investigating whether Smollett and the two men staged the attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of "Empire."
A source familiar with the investigation told the ABC7 I-Team that Smollett failed to appear for an interview with detectives earlier Thursday.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson contacted ABC7 to say they are continuing to treat Smollett as a victim and the investigation remains ongoing.
No one would have questioned his story if he wasn’t black and gay. I’m so fucking angry at the smear campaign that has been waged against him from the very beginning of this. There is no fucking reason for him to have faked any of it, and it is so fucking insulting to him on every possible level that he has had to defend himself from these baseless accusations.
I have been so blinded by rage that I haven't even be able to respond. THIS EXACTLY.
Seriously, fuck the scum "sources" and media outlets willing to publish these unsubstantiated claims.
BREAKING: Suspects Arrested In Jussie Smollett Case
Two brothers being questioned in the Jussie Smollett case are now under arrest, police said.
The men–Obabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo–were arrested Friday in connection with an alleged attack on Empire actor Jussie Smollett. The men were identified by their attorney, Gloria Schmidt
Meantime, two sources with intimate knowledge of the investigation tells CBS 2 Investigator Brad Edwards the attack on Smollett was potentially orchestrated by the actor himself, and involved two other men.
But police said while there is no evidence documenting the alleged attack, there is also no evidence to say it is a hoax. They said Smollett is being cooperative at this time and continues to be treated as a victim, not a suspect.
The two men were seen on surveillance video near where Smollett told police he was attacked on Jan. 29. The suspects being questioned by detectives in the case are brothers who worked on Empire with Smollett.
Police raided their home on Wednesday, the same day police met them at O’Hare International Airport, as they were returning from a trip to Nigeria.
Post by oliviapope on Feb 15, 2019 19:08:32 GMT -5
I'm not believing it's staged until there is sufficient evidence. The people doubting the story with next to no credible information are getting a full side eye.
Both the attackers are black and they work with Smollett. I’m sorry, it was staged.
get the fuck out of here.
How do you know it was staged because all 3 of the men are black and knew each other? Have you never heard of people getting pissed at other people they know and ganging up on them?
It may have been staged. It may have been two brothers with a beef out for this guy who attacked him.
I think it looks staged, too, or maybe a personal beef that he’s not being honest about. I’m very sorry I think that, because I wholeheartedly believed his report at first, and of course I don’t know for sure. But now I am leaning that way.
These two don’t fit the “this is MAGA country!” profile, for one thing. There was a staged attack awhile ago in my town and it happens. I don’t buy that he staged the whole thing because he was being written off the show, but his story doesn’t seem to jibe with the arrest of these two.
I think it looks staged, too, or maybe a personal beef that he’s not being honest about. I’m very sorry I think that, because I wholeheartedly believed his report at first, and of course I don’t know for sure. But now I am leaning that way.
These two don’t fit the “this is MAGA country!” profile, for one thing. There was a staged attack awhile ago in my town and it happens. I don’t buy that he staged the whole thing because he was being written off the show, but his story doesn’t seem to jibe with the arrest of these two.
So I just watched his GMA interview on YouTube. He says plainly in his interview that he didn’t say they were wearing MAGA hats; that they called him two racial and homophobic slurs and that he doesn’t need to add on that they were wearing MAGA hats as a cherry on top of the sundae. Screaming this is MAGA country wasn’t mentioned so I wonder if HE actually reported this to police or if that got added by other people at a later time.
I think there’s been a lot of gossip and speculation, but I think the right thing to do right now is to believe him but let the investigation finish before drawing a conclusion. I would rather be wrong but know I supported a person who claims he was a victim of an attack, than deny a person who claims to be a victim their voice and end up being wrong. (That was clunky, but hopefully my sentiment is clear.)
Post by hopecounts on Feb 15, 2019 21:46:24 GMT -5
I will withhold judgment while believing him until proven otherwise.
It’s entirely possible these guys were trying to make it look like a racial/MAGA attack to keep from being looked at while they attacked him for some other issue.
Maybe it was staged but until the Police say so or he says he was part of it then I will believe the victim and that he was attacked by these guys for whatever reason.
Both the attackers are black and they work with Smollett. I’m sorry, it was staged.
Your statement is blatantly racist. So.
Also the racist moron who liked this post. Hi, we see you.
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
Also the racist moron who liked this post. Hi, we see you.
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
He said they were wearing ski masks. It was dark out. He probably couldn’t see their skin color. If they were yelling racial slurs at him, it would be easy to make an assumption they were white if he didn’t get a clear look and was in shock.
I think him making it up is the least likely scenario, but do think it’s possible these two targeted him for some personal reason and tried to make it look like a racial attack.
Also the racist moron who liked this post. Hi, we see you.
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
Unreliable victim testimony from someone who was in shock and physically injured during an attack is hardly a lie.
It takes an extraordinarily uncharitable frame of reference (likely rooted in bias) to even come to that conclusion. It’s speculation and it’s gross.
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
Unreliable victim testimony from someone who was in shock and physically injured during an attack is hardly a lie.
It takes an extraordinarily uncharitable frame of reference (likely rooted in bias) to even come to that conclusion. It’s speculation and it’s gross.
Okay. I’m sure now that the guys are in custody, we’ll find out the truth soon enough, whatever it is.
Also the racist moron who liked this post. Hi, we see you.
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
No, it’s not racist. My point is that Smollett told police his attackers were white. He lied. Why would he lie if it wasn’t staged? (Assuming these are the right guys)
Unreliable victim testimony from someone who was in shock and physically injured during an attack is hardly a lie.
It takes an extraordinarily uncharitable frame of reference (likely rooted in bias) to even come to that conclusion. It’s speculation and it’s gross.
We were driving home on New Year's Eve and a car was driving the wrong way on our side of the road, so I called the Police. I couldn't recall half of the answers to the questions they asked me and I wasn't harmed in any way. I'm not surprised at all if there are inconsistencies in his testimony.
Oh, you mean because it wasn't staged by people who knew him, and the police went down a rabbit hole that fit the story they liked best? Shocked. Utterly shocked I say.
Oh, you mean because it wasn't staged by people who knew him, and the police went down a rabbit hole that fit the story they liked best? Shocked. Utterly shocked I say.
Um, this actually suggests that the police think it was staged. News reports say that new evidence obtained during their interrogations led to them being released. I’m guessing they told the police that Smollett was in on it. No attack = no charges for these guys.
Oh, you mean because it wasn't staged by people who knew him, and the police went down a rabbit hole that fit the story they liked best? Shocked. Utterly shocked I say.
Um, this actually suggests that the police think it was staged. News reports say that new evidence obtained during their interrogations led to them being released. I’m guessing they told the police that Smollett was in on it. No attack = no charges for these guys.
This is a lot of presumption with no factual basis.
Um, this actually suggests that the police think it was staged. News reports say that new evidence obtained during their interrogations led to them being released. I’m guessing they told the police that Smollett was in on it. No attack = no charges for these guys.
This is a lot of presumption with no factual basis.
Okay. Based on what’s being reported, it sounds as though we’ll get the truth soon.