“We are very appreciative of the victim’s cooperation however the records provided do not meet the burden for a criminal investigation as they were limited…
“We are very appreciative of the victim’s cooperation however the records provided do not meet the burden for a criminal investigation as they were limited and heavily redacted,” Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “Detectives may be following up with him to request additional data to corroborate the investigative timeline.”
Smollett alleges two masked men attacked him along a street in the Streeterville neighborhood as he was walking home from a restaurant on January 29. The 36-year-old alleges they punched him, hurled racist and homophobic insults at him, poured an unknown chemical substance on him, and wrapped a rope around his neck. Guglielmi said the actor told police that the alleged attackers shouted he was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
The police report noted that the actor said he initially didn’t want to report the attack, but another person convinced him to do so. The name of the person who encouraged Smollet to call police was redacted in the report, which notes that the person was with Smollet when officers arrived at his Chicago apartment.
