‘Empire’ Star Bryshere Gray Arrested Following Domestic-Related Disturbances

Former Empire star Bryshere Gray has been arrested again. The “Yazz The Greatest” actor has violated his probation after he was arrested again for domestic abuse. The actor pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault against his wife. TMZ reports that authorities were called to a Maricopa, AZ, location last week by an unnamed woman who claimed the two were dating and told the officer that while visiting Gray, “his behavior was escalating and she was concerned for her safety.” According to the outlet, legal documents claim that Hakeem Lyon’s former actor pulled the woman’s hair and threw food at her. Several incidents, including one in October involving domestic violence, have led to multiple interactions with Arizona police, according to authorities. 

A probation violation was also imposed on The New Edition Story actor after he failed to notify his probation officer about his police encounters. After the judge signed the warrant, he was arrested. He remains behind bars as of publication. No further details are available at this time since this is an ongoing case. In 2015, the controversial West Philadelphia native told VIBE he started his acting career as a local rapper. “I was doing my thing,” Gray said. “I was living in Philadelphia and rapping. I was doing a lot of shows all over my city and performing out on the street. I just wanted people to hear me. I was just so eager and ambitious. If I wrote a song that night, I was going to perform it to the world and that’s what I did. So I met my manager, Charlie Mack, who is like Will Smith’s best friend, and he gave me the audition.”

He added, “I did a video audition for Lee Daniels, and he loved it and sent me to L.A. I auditioned [there] with Taraji [P. Henson] and Terrence [Howard] cause they were doing their [Empire] auditions for Lee, too. We got to do it together.” In 2020, Gray pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault after barricading himself in his home with a SWAT team present. In the end, he received a ten-day county jail sentence and three years of probation. In addition, he was ordered to pay restitution and enroll in a program for domestic violence offenders. There were other charges summarily dropped that were filed concerning the incident. Police had responded to a call at a Circle K convenience store after someone reported Gray assaulting a woman, who was later identified as his wife. There is no indication whether she is the same woman who called the police this month. She flagged down a citizen for assistance in 2020, alleging that Gray had assaulted her at home for “hours.” After six seasons on Fox, Empire concluded in April 2021. As of now, Gray has yet to appear in a major acting role since the show ended.