‘Empire’ Actor Bryshere Gray Arrested on Domestic Assault Charges

Empire’ actor Bryshere Gray has been arrested on domestic assault charges after a nine-hour standoff with the SWAT team.

What We Know:

  • The incident happened in the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear on Sunday night at around 10:15 p.m. Goodyear Police responded to a call alleging, “an adult female victim had been allegedly assaulted at her Goodyear home.” She identified her alleged attack as Bryshere Gray, who is also her husband. Police said she suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a hospital but has since been released.
  • Gray refused to come outside when police arrived at their home at which Goodyear SWAT and Crisis Negotiations were called. Police say after about nine hours, he was “taken into police custody without incident.” This incident occurred just after 7 a.m. Monday morning and Gray was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on domestic violence charges.

  • According to a press release, the woman flagged down someone to take her to a gas station when she made the 911 call. She told the person who picked her up that she had been assaulted for several hours and had “numerous visible injuries” on her body. She says Gray strangled her to the point where she lost consciousness.

Gray is known for playing the role of Hakeem Lyon on the hip-hop drama Empire. The show ended its sixth and final season earlier this year and sooner than expected due to the coronavirus. Empire was canceled soon after another star, Jussie Smollett, alleged an attack. Gray also raps under the name “Yazz the Greatest.”