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Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson Calls Jussie Smollett Case A ‘Slap In The Face’

The law enforcement official also criticized the "Empire" actor for using a noose in the alleged attack hoax.

After Chicago police arrested Empire actor Jussie Smollett for allegedly staging the late night assault on himself, Superintendent Eddie Johnson called the actor’s decision a “slap in the face” during a lengthy press conference.

According to police, Smollett, who claimed he was attacked by two MAGA hat-wearing assailants, orchestrated the entire incident “to further his own public profile” and because he was "dissatisfied" with his salary on the show, reported NBC News.

During Thursday’s briefing, Supt. Johnson called Smollett’s alleged actions "despicable," and said he was in disbelief.

"It's shameful," he said. "It's just despicable... It makes you wonder what's going on in someone's mind to be able to do something like that."

Smollett surrendered to Chicago police around 5 a.m. Thursday morning on a felony charge of disorderly conduct for allegedly making a false police report, according to police spokesman Thomas Ahern.

Johnson revealed that when investigators discovered the alleged motive behind the attack, “quite frankly, it pissed everybody off.”

Johnson also said Smollett “took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”

While addressing the room full of reporters, Johnson sighed: "I just wish that the families of gun violence in this city got this much attention, because that's who really deserves the amount of attention that we're giving to this particular incident."

Before ending the press conference, Johnson said: "Absolute justice would be an apology to this city, which he smeared.”

"I'm left hanging my head and asking why," Johnson said, criticizing Smollett for using a noose in the alleged staged attack.

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