The Jussie Smollett case appeared to take a major turn Thursday, when multiple media outlets reported that he was being questioned by police.
A number also alleged that he and the two “persons of interest” — who were also reportedly being questioned — may have staged the attack after learning that “his character was being written out of the show ‘Empire.'” (RELATED: Alec Baldwin Arrested For Alleged Assault)
BREAKING: Multiple soucres tell @ABC7Chicago Eyewitness News Jussie Smollet and the 2 men who are being questioned by police staged the attack – allegedly because his character was being written out of the show Empire.
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) February 15, 2019
MORE: Someone familiar with the investigation says Smollet was a no-show for an interview earlier today with detectives. All of this coming hours after Smollett spoke to @GMA speaking out in his first media interview taking aim at those who doubted his story.
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) February 15, 2019
Several reports indicated that it was the heavily-redacted phone records that tipped police off that something wasn’t right. Smollett had turned in his phone records to provide evidence of the attack, but had removed a number of calls prior to handing them over. (RELATED: Man Attacked At Cheesecake Factory For Wearing MAGA Hat Speaks Out)
Sources also claimed that the attack was likely orchestrated by Smollett.
TOP SOURCE: “We [investigators] believe the non-cooperating 2 witnesses are co-conspirators in a potentially staged attack” vs. Jussie Smollett. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/sro7CDtJjP
— Brad Edwards (@tvbrad) February 15, 2019
TOP SOURCE: “… indicators point to Smollett orchestrating the event ….” @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/t3T5kQmeko
— Brad Edwards (@tvbrad) February 15, 2019
BREAKING:Police raided the home of two persons of interest in Jussie Smollett case last night. Both men are of Nigerian decent and have appeared as extras on the show. Police took bleach, shoes electronics and more.Officers asked family if they knew #Jussiesmollett. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/PDSFtf5jwb
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) February 14, 2019
However, until evidence proves otherwise, police have stated that Smollett is still considered to be a victim. They also said that, thus far, the actor has cooperated with authorities.
NEW: Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson called @ABC7Chicago tonight to say Jussie Smollett is considered a victim and the police investigation is on-going.
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) February 15, 2019
UPDATE: Representatives for Jussie Smollett say “Today Jussie did answer routine followup questions for Chicago Police Department and continues to cooperate.”
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) February 15, 2019
As previously reported, police wanted Smollett to re-submit his phone records, after the first ones he provided were a “heavily redacted” PDF of his call log.
Chicago Police told Page Six on Tuesday the records he provided for the investigation into his alleged attack were “limited and redacted” and “insufficient for a criminal investigation,” and that they needed something “more concrete.”
“We need something a little more concrete and direct if we’re going to be able to say for a fact the conversation occurred,” Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told the outlet, in reference to a conversation the actor said he had with his manager during the alleged attack.
“We don’t believe this is the case at all, but when anyone hands over a redacted and limited record like a PDF of a phone bill, for example, those records could be manipulated,” he added. “We don’t believe they are, but we have to be able to hold up to the standards of a criminal court … [the records] don’t meet the burden for a criminal investigation.”
Chris Bastardi, a spokesperson for Smollett, explained that the redacted records were “intended to protect the privacy of personal contacts or high-profile individuals not relevant to the attack.”
The developments come on the heels of reports that police were seeking “people of interest” after the “Empire” star told authorities he was attacked by masked men near his home last month in Chicago.
“The victim goes to Subway just after midnight and on his way back, he was attacked by two men,” Guglielmi stated. “They were masked and wearing black clothing. They called him an Empire … and they used a homophobic slur. They also used the N-word. They proceed to assault him, and they throw a chemical on him that may have been bleach, and put a rope around neck.”
Smollett told police at the time of the attack that he was on the phone with his manager, Brandon Z. Moore, who told police that he heard the racist and homophobic slurs. Police, therefore, need the phone records to corroborate the two accounts of what allegedly occurred.