NYPD charges Steve Buscemi's suspected attacker with assault in the second degree

Steve Buscemi, the American actor, was taken to the hospital on May 8, 2024, after a stranger punched him in the face. The suspect, Clifton Williams, has been charged with assault in the second degree by the NYPD on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Police in New York City said that Mr Williams is believed to be homeless. The 66-year-old actor's publicist said that he had some bruising, swelling, and bleeding in his left eye, but he was doing well otherwise. Clifton was sent to jail on $50,000 cash bail or $150,000 bond.

The suspect is facing two counts of assaults, according to NYPD. The other charge is a misdemeanor for allegedly randomly punching another man only a few minutes before he reportedly punched Steve. The court dates for the case have not been released yet.

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Homeless man who allegedly attacked actor Steve Buscemi has been charged with assault

Steve Buscemi is famous for his portrayal of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He has also appeared in several other movies and TV shows, including The Sopranos, Fargo, Con Air, Pulp Fiction, and more.

Steve Buscemi was walking in the midtown Manhattan neighborhood of Kips Bay on May 8, 2024, when a stranger punched him in the face. NYPD charged a 50-year-old homeless man Clifton Williams with second-degree assault on Friday afternoon.

The charges were posted from the same precinct number 13, where Buscemi was attacked.

The actor was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. He suffered a few bruises and had a bleeding left eye. According to CBS, on May 13, 2024, Clifton walked into the 10th precinct in the Chelsea neighborhood and reported that his property had been stolen on Friday.

The police officials saw his ID and recognized him, subsequently arresting him for Steve Buscemi’s attack. Mr. Williams was also charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly randomly punching another man.

However, in the case of Steve, 66, he was seen as a senior citizen according to the law, and the homeless man's charges were increased to a felony. The actor's publicist gave a statement, saying:

"Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Midtown Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city. He is OK and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of N.Y."

There have been reports of random attacks in New York City for the past few months. National Guard troops were recently deployed in March to the subway in response to the high-profile incidents of violence.

According to the NYPD, the felony assaults in the city increased by 15% year-to-date this week while the misdemeanor assaults were up 7%.

Steve Buscemi’s co-star from Boardwalk Empire Michael Stuhlbarg, who played Arnold Rothstein, was also attacked in the back of the neck with a rock in March 2024. He was walking in Manhattan’s Central Park and chased the assailant, who was then arrested by officers outside the park.