CHICAGO, IL — Chicago police have identified persons of interest in the area of the reported Jan. 29 attack of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett. Chicago Police Department Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi confirmed Thursday morning the persons of interest have been identified through a “meticulous investigation.”

“These individuals are not yet suspects but were in area of concern and are being questioned,” Guglielmi said in a statement, and again emphasized, “The people of interest are alleged to be in the area where a crime was reported.”

The news comes just a few days after Smollett handed over redacted phone records to Chicago police, nearly two weeks after Smollett reported an attack that police are calling a possible hate crime. Chicago Police said Smollett was walking in the 300 block of E. North Water Street at about 2 a.m. Jan. 29, when two men wearing ski masks yelled homophobic and racial slurs and began beating the actor. They doused him with a chemical, believed to be bleach, and wrapped a rope around his neck, police said.

Smollett said the men called out “This is MAGA country” while attacking him. Police said the actor’s initial statement didn’t report a mention of MAGA — he recalled it later on. Smollett’s music manager confirmed that he was on the phone with the actor at the time of the reported attack and heard the men yelling the phrase.

However, the Chicago Police Department said the redacted phone records given to police on Monday were insufficient for their investigation.

In a statement obtained by NBC Chicago, Smollett’s representative said the phone records were redacted “to protect the privacy of personal contacts or high-profile individuals not relevant to the attack.”

“Jussie is the victim here, which has been slated by the Superintendent of Police,” the statement read. “Jussie has voluntarily provided his phone records from within an hour of the attack and given multiple statements to police. Chicago PD has repeatedly informed us that they find Jussie’s account of what happened that night consistent and credible.”

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Police said detectives may reach out to Smollett to obtain additional phone data that could help solve the case.

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Chicago police said the investigation continues.

Actor and singer Jussie Smollett attends the Fox Networks Group 2018 programming presentation after party at Wollman Rink in Central Park on Monday, May 14, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)