CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on the attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett (all times local):
11:45 a.m.
A Chicago police spokesman says surveillance video shows that "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett had a rope around his neck as he walked into his apartment building the night he reported he was attacked by two masked men.
Anthony Guglielmi (goo-lee-EHL'-mee) said Thursday that police still haven't recovered any surveillance video of the early Tuesday attack, but that the building's security footage shows Smollett arrived home wearing the rope minutes after he says it occurred.
Smollett, who is gay and black, says two men beat him, hurled racial and homophobic insults at him, poured an "unknown chemical substance" on him and looped the rope around his neck before fleeing.
Police want to talk to two people seen on surveillance video walking in that section of downtown Chicago at the time of the attack. They have released their images to the media in the hopes that someone will recognize them or they themselves will come forward.
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9:17 a.m.
Chicago police have recovered more surveillance footage of "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett walking before and after he says he was attacked by two masked men, but they haven't found video of the attack.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi (goo-lee-EHL'-mee) also said Thursday that Smollett and his manager say they were talking on the phone when he was attacked at 2 a.m. Tuesday, but that Smollett has declined to hand his phone records to police.
Police released images Wednesday of two people who were walking in the area around that time Tuesday, but Guglielmi stresses that they are not considered suspects and are being sought because they were in the vicinity.
Smollett, who is gay and black, says two men beat him, hurled racial and homophobic insults at him, poured an "unknown chemical substance" on him and looped a rope around his neck before fleeing.
