Empire star Jussie Smollett‘s family describes Tuesday’s attack on the actor and singer that left him hospitalized as “inhumane acts of domestic terrorism” in a new statement.
Smollett has not commented on the attack, which Chicago police are investigating as a “possible racially-charged assault and battery” and potential hate crime. The actor, who is black and gay and plays a gay character on the hit Fox television show, told police that two masked men punched him, threw a “chemical substance” on him, and placed a rope around his neck. Smollett also told police that the attackers yelled racist and homophobic insults and the phrase, “MAGA country.” His family’s statement describes the assault as a hate crime.
“We want people to understand these targeted hate crimes are happening to our sisters, brothers and our gender non-conforming siblings, many who reside within the intersection of multiple identities, on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes even daily basis all across our country. Oftentimes ending fatally, these are inhumane acts of domestic terrorism and they should be treated as such,” the statement says. “They will continue to occur until we hold each other accountable.”
Police are still searching for suspects, and the FBI has opened its own investigation into a threatening letter targeting Smollett that was mailed last week to the Fox studio in Chicago where Empire is filmed.
Read the full statement from Smollett’s family below.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, our beloved son and brother, Jussie, was the victim of a violent and unprovoked attack. We want to be clear, this was a racial and homophobic hate crime. Jussie has told the police everything from the very beginning. His story has never changed, and we are hopeful they will find these men and bring them to justice. Our family thanks everyone for their prayers and the huge amount of love he has received. We are thankful to our village for your immense support during this trying time. We are so grateful that God saw him through this cowardly attack alive. Jussie is a warrior whose light cannot be dimmed. We want people to understand these targeted hate crimes are happening to our sisters, brothers and our gender non-conforming siblings, many who reside within the intersection of multiple identities, on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes even daily basis all across our country. Oftentimes ending fatally, these are inhumane acts of domestic terrorism and they should be treated as such. They will continue to occur until we hold each other accountable. Make no mistake, words matter. Hateful words lead to hateful actions. Radical love is the only solution, but passivity will be our downfall. We, as a family, will continue to work for love, equity and justice until it reigns supreme in our nation and all over the world.
