Empire actor Jussie Smollett was hospitalized and treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after a violent attack which police are reportedly investigating as a possible hate crime.

TMZ confirmed the attack, which happened around 2 am on Tuesday morning, and reported that law enforcement sources told them the Chicago Police Department is investigating the disturbing incident as a possible hate crime: ‘Sources directly connected to Jussie tell TMZ, the actor arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday, and at around 2 AM he was hungry and went to a Subway. We’re told when he walked out, someone yelled, “Aren’t you that f***ot ‘Empire’ n*****?” The 2 men — both white and wearing ski masks — viciously attacked Jussie as he fought back, but they beat him badly and fractured a rib. They put a rope around his neck, poured bleach on him and as they left they yelled, “This is MAGA country.”‘

While the MAGA details and the nature of the chemical substance are not confirmed yet by an official report, HuffPost front page editor Philip Lewis and MSNBC producer Michael Del Moro tweeted out a statement from Chicago PD on the incident.

The statement from Chicago PD Chief Anthony Gugielmi reads: “Overnight the Chicago Police Department received a report of a possible racially charged assault and battery against a cast member of the television show Empire. Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime. Detecives are currently working to gather video, identify potential witnesses and establish an investigative timeline. The victim is fully cooperating with investigators and we ask anyone with information about this incident to contact Area Central Detectives at 312-747-8382 or report it anonymously to www.cpdtip.com.

The statement adds: “A 36 year old man was walking…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 chemical substance on him. At some point during the incident, one of the offenders wrapped a rope around the victims neck. The offenders fled the scene. The victim self-transported to Northwestern Hospital and is in good condition. Area Central Detectives are investigating.”

The tweets:

Wow… Absolutely horrific details in this Chicago Police Dept Statement on incident reportedly involving actor Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/E4iTWfDule — Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) January 29, 2019

Chicago Police Department just sent out this statement re:

Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/DxQswZn8xd — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 29, 2019

Audio of the emergency call placed after the attack can be heard HERE.

The website ThatGrapeJuice.net first reported the incident, saying that Smollett received a letter in the mail with a note on it which read “you will die black fag”. The site added that Smollett was attacked “by two men in ski-masks. Both of whom placed a noose around his neck.”

Developing (refresh for updates)….

Source: ThatGrapeJuice.net



Reactions to the attack on Smollett began pouring out on Twitter:

This is horrific. What kind of country do we live in. https://t.co/unvzWmo6XD — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 29, 2019

I am sick to my stomach over the news of a violent attack on @JussieSmollett. I'm so glad you are safe, my friend. All of us at @HRC wish you a quick recovery. Law enforcement MUST act quickly & thoroughly given the horrific racist/homophobic details described in news reports. — Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) January 29, 2019

Our sweet Jussie Smollett was brutally attacked in Chicago early this morning. Homophobia and racism is tearing apart our country and it’s being fueled by Trump and this hateful administration. The fracture in our humity is growing wider and it’s heartbreaking. 💔 — Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) January 29, 2019

This is so awful. Sending love to @JussieSmollett. 🙌🌈 https://t.co/U3wKFBAXi2 — billy eichner (@billyeichner) January 29, 2019

When a community member is attacked with racially and homophobic charged words, it is a hate crime. Not “alleged”. Not “possible”. Not “apparent”. We demand justice for Jussie Smollett. https://t.co/VAcZSgeLhd — ACT UP New York (@actupny) January 29, 2019

.@JussieSmollett is one of the fiercest people I know. This hatred won’t stop his championing for a better world. If anything, it will probably motivate him more. It has me. — Jackée Harry (@JackeeHarry) January 29, 2019

Anyone trying to ignore the fact that Jussie Smollett is BOTH Black & gay need to sit down.



This was a racially-motivated homophobic attack.



They called him racial slurs AND homophobic ones.



He carries BOTH identities and white supremacists made it a point to target both. — Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) January 29, 2019

I saw Jussie Smollett in Miami last week. I can’t believe this happened. It is sad and disgusting and and deplorable. “Empire' Star Jussie Smollett Beaten in Homophobic Attack By MAGA Supporters | https://t.co/zeQp9uV2ix https://t.co/o2QFUug5it — Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) January 29, 2019

This is heartbreaking and terrifying…please pay attention to what’s happening here. Sending all my love to @JussieSmollett https://t.co/YTJ6bwLDkZ — Zendaya (@Zendaya) January 29, 2019

Sending love to Jussie and the Smollett family after this horrific attack. We support you and pray that you find peace and justice. — John Legend (@johnlegend) January 29, 2019

This is insane! What’s happening to this world https://t.co/VSIOks8N09 — Garcelle Beauvais (@GarcelleB) January 29, 2019