Photos Show Persons Of Interest In Jussie Smollett Chicago Attack

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago police have released photos of what they're calling people of interest who were in the area of the reported attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett.

In a Wednesday night tweet, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that while the video didn't capture an encounter, detectives are "taking the new development seriously and wish to question individuals as more cameras are being reviewed."

The update comes just a few hours after Chicago Police said they located a surveillance camera that shows potential persons of interest wanted for questioning in the attack.

Production on Fox's drama "Empire" was temporarily suspended Wednesday, the day after news broke of the attack on the show's star Jussie Smollett. However, E! News reported production for the show and production on the legal drama "Proven Innocent" was temporarily suspended due to the below-freezing temperatures in the city.

According to E! News, the suspension was described as not being "immediately related" to the attack on Smollett.

>> Stars React After 'Empire' Actor Attacked In Possible Hate Crime

On Tuesday night, Guglielmi said police detectives expanded the search area for cameras in an effort to provide photos of the suspected assailants in the attack against the actor.

"Thus far, no video of the alleged assailants or a vehicle has been discovered, but we are continuing to broaden our search," Guglielmi wrote on Twitter.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Police Department said they were investigating after receiving a report of what they described was a possible racially-charged assault and battery in the 300 block of E. North Water Street early Tuesday morning, involving a cast member of hit FOX drama "Empire."

According to police, a 36-year-old man, reported by several media outlets and TMZ to be Jussie Smollett, was walking at the above address at 2 a.m. when two unknown offenders approached him and yelled out racial and homophobic slurs towards him. Police reported the offenders beat the actor's face with their hands, poured an unknown chemical substance on him, and at some point one of the offenders wrapped a rope around his neck before leaving the scene.

PEOPLE said they received an initial statement from Chicago Police confirmed that the victim — who has not been officially identified by police as Smollett — remembered his attackers calling out the “Make America Great Again” abbreviation (MAGA).

“In the initial reports there was no mention of MAGA,” the statement read, according to PEOPLE. “When detectives [followed] up with him later in the day, he recalled the offenders making those comments and detectives completed a supplemental report.”

The actor took himself to Northwestern Hospital and is good condition, police said, adding that Area Central Detectives are investigating.

"Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime," Chicago police said in a statement. "Detectives are currently working to gather video, identify potential witnesses and establish an investigative timeline."

Chicago police ask anyone with information about this incident to contact Area Central Detectives at 312-747-8382 or report it anonymously to www.cpdtip.com.

Patch will continue updating this story.

Photos provided by Chicago Police Department