Probably posted more about this at CU, but feel compelled to opine because I lived in Chicago for a decade.
There were so many red flags when this story first hit.
First of all, Chicago is certainly not "MAGA Country". Approximately 85-90% of Cook County/Chicago voted for Cankles Clinton in 2016.
Secondly, on the night of the fake attack it was either zero degrees or below. Anyone who has lived or even visited Chicago in winter knows how ridiculously cold it gets in downtown Chicago, especially with a cold wind coming off of lake Michigan. Weather conditions not fit for humans.
Third: According to "Juicy Smollette", they splashed him with bleach and had a noose. Therefore, we are expected to believe that these "MAGA rednecks" were just hanging around near downtown Chicago looking for a gay black actor. Most people out at that time of night are drunks trying to catch a cab, find a bar that's still open until 4 am. Yes, they exist there as certain watering holes allow liquor licenses to run until that time.
Truthfully I had never heard of this "actor" before the alleged incident. Recall watching a couple of early episodes of "Empire" which he was a co-star, but gave up on it early on and never noticed him. Nor did I know he was gay, and I wouldn't have cared one way or the other.