Chicago Police officially classifies Jussie Smollett as a suspect in a criminal investigation for filing a false police report

Empire actor, Jussie Smollett has just been classified as a suspect for allegedly filing a false police report in which he claimed he was attacked in Chicago last month.

The move comes weeks after the Empire actor told Chicago police he was attacked on January 29th by two men who threw a bleach-like chemical on him, called him anti-gay slurs, and put a rope around his neck.

Giving a status update on the case, Chicago Police spokesperson, Anthony Gugliemi tweeted, ‘Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury’.

Smollett has maintained that he was the victim of a hate crime, and the reported attack quickly received global attention, putting immediate pressure on Chicago police to solve the case leading to the interrogation and arrest of two Nigerian brothers who have since been released by the police after no evidence was found linking them to the crime.