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"This announcement today recognizes that Empire actor Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career," CPD superintendent Eddie Johnson says
Johnson calls the case a "publicity stunt" that Chicago "didn't earn or deserve."
Johnson said that Smollett paid $3,500 to stage the attack because he was dissatisfied with his salary.
"I only hope the truth about what happened receives the same amount of attention that the hoax did," Johnson said.
Edward Wodnicki of the Chicago PD is giving a timeline of the investigation. He says that following Smollett's initial report, officers interviewed more than 100 people and identified 35 surveillance cameras.
Wodnicki says that after talking with the two men first identified as suspects, "this investigation started to spin in a completely new direction."
Smollett turned himself in at 5am this morning, Wodnicki said. Smollett's bond hearing is at 1:30 pm.
Johnson says that the information about the $3,500 payment and Smollett being dissatisfied with his salary came from the two brothers.
CPD has a copy of the check Smollett allegedly used to pay the brothers, Johnson said. The $3,500 was for both men.
"When we discovered the actual motive, quite frankly, it pissed everybody off because we have to invest valuable resources. Those are resources and time spent that we cannot get back" Johnson said adding that investigations into shootings and homicides were not impacted.
Johnson says that the brothers and Smollett spoke on the phone about an hour before the staged attack, an hour after, and while the brothers were out of the country. Earlier Johnson said that the actor's scratches and bruises were self-inflicted.
Johnson said that what happened in Chicago is "shameful" because Smollett knew his celebrity would get a lot of attention.
