People don't randomly have bleach and rope on them so that and the threatening letters would suggest this was a pre-meditated attack.

Additionally, to catch Smollett in the streets like that also suggests they either knew where he frequented or were following him that night.

To me, that's alot of investment to attack someone that isn't particularly known for his activism and, I'd think, wouldn't be that symbolic a target.

Did some racist domestic terrorists decide that attacking a member of the "Empire" cast would send some terrifying message to black people in America? Possibly... but it's getting into the realm of being stranger than fiction.

It would be more believable if he'd just randomly been jumped or if he were on a Colin Kapernick level of activism.