Man arrested in random attack on actor Buscemi

NEW YORK – Nine days after actor Steve Buscemi was punched in the face on a Manhattan street, a man has been charged in the case, the New York Police Department said.

Clifton Williams, a 50-year-old homeless man, was arrested Friday and charged with second-degree assault, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. A police spokesperson said the charge was elevated to a felony because of Buscemi’s age.

Buscemi, 66, was walking on Third Avenue near East 27th Street in the Kips Bay neighborhood when he was attacked by a stranger just before noon May 8. He was treated at Bellevue Hospital for bleeding, bruising and swelling in his left eye.

Police officers identified Williams as a suspect Tuesday after releasing surveillance photos of him wearing a blue T-shirt, black sweatpants and baseball cap.

On Friday, police responded to a dispute between Williams and another man in the Chelsea neighborhood, about a dozen blocks from where Buscemi was attacked. There, they recognized Williams and arrested him.

Williams has also been accused of punching a 22-year-old man about 15 minutes before Buscemi was attacked, a police spokesperson said. He has been charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, in that case.

Buscemi, a Brooklyn native and former city firefighter, is known for his roles in “Boardwalk Empire,” “Fargo” and “The Sopranos.”

A string of random street assaults has sown fears that the city is sliding into lawlessness, although recent statistics paint a more nuanced picture.

Felony assaults in the city fell about 2% in April compared with April 2023, according to the Police Department – part of a broader reduction in violent crimes, including a 30% drop in murders and 15% fewer shootings. But misdemeanor assaults rose 7% in the first 3 1/2 months of 2024, compared with the same period last year.

Michael Stuhlbarg, an actor who appeared with Buscemi on “Boardwalk Empire,” was struck by a rock March 31 while walking in Central Park.

Several female TikTok users, including one with more than 1 million followers, have posted video accounts of having been punched while walking around the city.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.