A suspect in the Steve Buscemi attack case was arrested and charged in New York City on Friday, according to the NYPD.
Clifton Williams, a 50-year-old homeless man, has been charged with second-degree assault after allegedly punching the actor in the face. This was a random incident in Kips Bay, a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan.
On May 8, the NYPD responded to a 911 call reporting an assault on Third Avenue in the 13th precinct. A 66-year-old man had been punched and was subsequently taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, where he was treated for a minor injury to his left eye.
Police sources informed CBS New York that Williams entered the 10th precinct in Chelsea on May 13 to report a theft that had occurred the previous Friday. Upon examining his ID, officers recognized Williams and promptly arrested him for the attack on Buscemi.
Steve Buscemi’s Alleged Attacker is Facing Two Assault Charges
Williams is facing two assault charges, according to the news outlet. One charge is a misdemeanor for allegedly punching another man randomly a few minutes before allegedly striking the veteran actor. However, Buscemi is 66 years old and considered a senior citizen by law. This means the charge related to him was elevated to a felony. The other charge remains a misdemeanor.
In response to the news of the attack, Steve Buscemi’s publicist issued a statement. They confirmed that he had been assaulted but was unharmed.
“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Midtown Manhattan. [He’s] another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” his publicist explained in a statement. “He is OK and appreciates everyone’s well wishes. [However, he’s] incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of N.Y.”
Buscemi’s Random Attack is One of a Serious of Similar Recent Incidents
Police reported that Buscemi was attacked around 11:48 a.m. on Wednesday in front of 369 Third Ave. The video footage shows him walking, minding his own business, completely unaware of the impending incident.
In recent months, the city has experienced a series of random, unprovoked attacks. Often it seems women are being specifically targeted by men in broad daylight.
Meanwhile, Buscemi’s Boardwalk Empire co-star Michael Stuhlbarg was struck in the back of the neck with a rock in March. In recent years, Rick Moranis and Bethenny Frankel have also fallen victim to random attacks in NYC.