Donald Trump Calls Jussie Smollett Attack ‘Horrible’ (Video)
”Empire“ star was hospitalized after what police called a ”possible racially-charged assault and battery“
Itay Hod | January 31, 2019 @ 10:37 AM
Last Updated: January 31, 2019 @ 10:50 AM
President Donald Trump condemned the attack of “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, calling it “horrible” on Thursday.
“That I can tell you is horrible. It doesn’t get worse,” the president told White House reporter April Ryan when asked about the incident.
Smollett was attacked at around 2 a.m. Tuesday in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood when he said that two people began yelling racial and homophobic slurs at him. Smollett told police that the attackers yelled “MAGA.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Chicago Police Department said a “cast member from the Fox series ‘Empire’ was injured in what police called a ‘possible racially-charged assault and battery.'”
On Wednesday evening, detectives released photos from a surveillance video showing “potential persons of interest” in the attack.
The photos show two silhouettes walking in the area of where Smollett was sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 1:45 a.m., but does not show the actual attack. Chicago police said they would like to question the two people.
Smollett has yet to comment publicly on the attack.