Empire actor, Jussie Smollett, suffered a cruel attack that police are calling a hate crime.
The 36-year-old actor was reported to have been walking out a restaurant in Chicago when two men rushed at him, poured an unidentified chemical in his face before tying a rope around his neck.
READ: Empire Star, Jussie Smollett Donates $125k To Charity For The Christmas
A statement from the Chicago Police Department say the attack is being treated as a hate crime because the suspects used homophobic insults against him.
The actor was briefly hospitalized after the incident and has since been released.
Smollett who is best known for his character Jamal Lyons in the series Empire, came out as gay in 2015.