February 15 (Reuters) – Suspects arrested in connection with an alleged racist and homophobic attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago were released Friday, police said.
"Due to new evidence resulting from today's interrogations, those interviewed by the police in the Empire case have been released without charge and investigators have an investigative job." extra to complete, "said the Chicago Police Department in an email to Reuters.
Individuals are no longer classified as suspects, said the department.
A spokesman for the department on Friday night refused to confirm to Reuters whether the released individuals were the two Nigerian police officers arrested on Wednesday at the Chicago Hare Airport in connection with the attack.
The authorities had previously said that the couple, whose names had not been disclosed, was a person of interest after being recognized by a surveillance camera filmed in the area where Smollett said two men had shouted at him insults and put a rope around his neck on the 29th.
"The detectives are probably responsible for an alleged crime and we are working to corroborate the charges and the investigation schedule as our investigation continues," police spokesman said. Anthony Guglielmi in a statement.
He denied a media report on Thursday that police were investigating that Smollett had staged the attack because he was out of the TV show.
"Although we have not found any video documenting the alleged attack, nothing indicates that it is a hoax. The alleged victim is cooperating for the time being. and continues to be treated as a victim and not as a suspect, "Guglielmi said. said Friday.
The news of the alleged attack on Smollett, an openly gay 36-year-old African American who plays a gay character in the hip-hop drama "Empire", has caused an uproar on social media, but some have put doubt the story of Smollett.
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Los Angeles, Calif. – December 6: Jussie Smollett speaks at the 28th annual Beat The Odds Children's Defense Fund Awards in California at the Skirball Cultural Center on December 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gabriel Olsen / Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FL – JANUARY 21: Jussie Smollett is seen at NATPE Miami 2019 – Tyler Perry Keynote "Living the Dream: A Career in Content" at the Fontainebleau Hotel on January 21, 2019 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo / Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 01: Jussie Smollett performs on stage during amfAR Dance2Cure in Bardot on December 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre / Getty Images)
Beverly Hills, Calif. – December 2: Jussie Smollett participates in the Trevor Project TrevorLIVE 2018 Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on December 02, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 1: Jussie Smollett attends the 2018 Hero Gala in the Black AIDS Institute's fight at the California African-American Museum of California, December 01, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rachel Luna / Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 14: Jussie Smollett attends the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's "Empire" Conversations at the Robin Williams Center on November 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe / Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 14: Actor Jussie Smollett is seen in Midtown on November 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Raymond Hall / GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 14: Actor and activist Jussie Smollett visits Build Series to discuss the TV show 'Empire & # 39; and his work for charities at the Build Studio November 14, 2018 in New York. (Photo by Gary Gershoff / WireImage)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 1: Jussie Smollett performs on stage at Espolon celebrating the Day of the Dead at the Academy Nightclub on November 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tasia Wells / Getty Images for Espolòn)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 16: Jussie Smollett attends a meeting and greeting at Bloomingdale on October 16, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat / Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 22: Jussie Smollett will speak at the World Premiere of Empire Season 5 at the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios on September 22, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dominik Bindl / Getty Images for Tribeca TV)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – SEPTEMBER 15: Jussie Smollett participates in the pre-Emmy Entertainment Weekly 2018 party at the Sunset Tower Hotel on September 15, 2018 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Crotty / Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 30: Actor Jussie Smollett attends the 2018 BMI R & B / Hip-Hop Awards at the Woodruff Arts Center on August 30, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo of Paras Griffin / Getty Images for BMI)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – AUGUST 2: Fergie (left) and Jussie Smollett attend the FOX Summer TCA 2018 All Star Party at Soho House on August 2, 2018 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 07: Actress / singer Jussie Smollett attends the 2018 Essence Festival – Night 2 at the Louisiana Superdome on July 7, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin / WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 22: Jussie Smollet performs at the Acoustically Speaking event, sponsored by M & Ms, during the BET 2018 experiment at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Maury Phillips / Getty Images for BET)
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In an interview with "Good Morning America" aired on Thursday, Smollett said he was angry that some people are questioning his story, and he suggested that disbelief might stem from racial prejudices.
The two men know Smollett for their work on "Empire". They were arrested Wednesday at the airport after returning from Nigeria where they were visiting their families, their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt, told CBS2 in Chicago.
Schmidt could not be contacted immediately for comment on Friday.
Twentieth Century Fox Television, the Empire producer, issued a statement Thursday stating that the idea that Smollett was or would be written out of the series was "obviously ridiculous" and they continued to support him. (Report by Gabriella Borter and Brendan O & # 39; Brien edited by Alistair Bell and Susan Thomas)
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