The City of Chicago has released two 911 calls made after Empire actor Jussie Smollett claimed he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack.
Recordings of the calls following the Jan. 29 incident were obtained by the Associated Press and other outlets on Wednesday evening. Both calls were made by an unidentified man who said he worked for “an artist” who he didn’t want to name.
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During the first three-minute call, the man said the person went to a Subway restaurant and “some guys … they jumped him.” The caller said the person was initially reluctant to make the report but that he would speak to police.
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“I just need the police to come by. I work for an artist. I don’t really want to say his name,” the caller told the 911 operator. “(Smollett) states that … he went to Subway and he was walking by, and some guys, they jumped him or something like that. I just want to report it and make sure he’s all right.”
The caller continued: “They put a noose around his neck. They didn’t do anything with it but put it around his neck. That’s pretty f***ed up to me — sorry for saying it like that.”
The actor’s employee declined medical attention for Smollett and added that Smollett was “startled.”
“He was cool. He didn’t want me to call you guys,” the caller said.
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When the dispatcher told the caller that only the victim can file a police report, the caller said: “He’s definitely gonna make the report. I’m gonna make him make the report.”
The man expressed concern about a perceived delay in police response during the second call around 16 minutes later.
The employee complained that the police had not shown up yet.
“I thought they’d be here by now,” he said.
Smollett was charged with 16 counts after police allege he lied to officers when reporting he had been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity. Prosecutors dropped the charges on March 26.
Smollett has denied all allegations made against him by police.
—With files from the Associated Press
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