CHICAGO — Chicago detectives suspect that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett filed a false police report when he said he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack last month, a police official said.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi also said Wednesday that detectives and two brothers who were earlier deemed suspects in the Jan. 29 attack were testifying before a grand jury.

Smollett’s attorneys met with prosecutors and police earlier Wednesday.

Smollett, who is black and gay and plays Jamal Lyon on the Fox TV show, said he was attacked by two masked men Jan. 29 as he was walking home from a sandwich shop. He said they beat him, made racist and homophobic comments and yelled “This is MAGA country” — an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again” — before looping a rope around his neck and fleeing.

By Associated Press