Two Men Arrested in Jussie Smollett Case Released With No Charges
Two suspects arrested in connection with an attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett have been released without charges amid new evidence, according to the Chicago Police Department.
In an update, shared on Twitter by Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi, the police department revealed that "new evidence" came about after an interrogation with the two suspects that led to their released. Guglielmi said "detectives have additional investigative work to complete." He did not share any more details about the case.
The department confirmed to ET Online on Friday that the suspects were questioned by police, starting early this week. They were arrested on Wednesday night. A spokesperson for the Chicago Police confirmed that it was the same two individuals seen in surveillance footage shot around the time of the attack on Jan. 29. Police have not yet released the names of the suspects.
"Interrogations will resume today with the two individuals and their attorney. While we haven't found any video documenting the alleged attack, there is no evidence to say that this is a hoax. The alleged victim [Smollett] is being cooperative at this time and continues to be treated as a victim, not a suspect," Guglielmi said at the time. "For clarification, the two individuals interviewed are classified as potential suspects. Detectives have probable cause that they may have been involved in an alleged crime and we are working to corroborate the allegations and investigative timeline as our investigation continues."
On Thursday, police revealed they questioned Smollett and raided the home of the two suspects. Around that time, rumors began swirling that the actor knew his attacker and orchestrated the incident in response to allegedly being written off Empire. The network released a statement refuting that claim, telling fans Smollett was not cut from the show.
"The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous," the statement read. "He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him."
The new evidence, as well as rumors surrounding the case, come after Smollett did a TV interview with Good Morning America recounting the attack.