Police have arrested a homeless man suspected of punching Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi during a disorderly attack in Manhattan last week.
Clifton Williams, 50, was arrested while trying to report a stolen item to police, with an officer recognizing him as the man who allegedly hit Buscemi, 66, on a Kips Bay street on April 8 may.
Williams was arrested by police Friday in New York’s 13th Precinct and charged with second-degree assault.
He was also accused of attacking a 22-year-old Asian man just minutes before assaulting Buscemi, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge.
New York police tracked him down using surveillance footage and found him at a Brooklyn homeless shelter, his last known address, where he is known as a “shithole” among his neighbors.
Police arrested unhinged homeless man Clifton Williams, 50, who punched actor Steve Buscemi in a random attack in Manhattan on May 8.
Police released surveillance image of the attack showing the suspect, Williams, wearing a dark baseball cap, blue T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi, 66, was left bruised and bloodied after being punched in the face in one of the latest random attacks on a street in New York’s Kips Bay last week.
Williams remained silent as he was escorted from the 13th Precinct until his arraignment.
Police received a call from the director of the Chelsea Homeless Services building. They reported harassment of Williams over allegedly stolen property.
When an officer arrived, Williams was asked to file a report for his lost property. However, during this process, the officer recognized Williams’ name and linked him to the suspect in the Buscemi attack.
Williams allegedly confessed to his involvement in the crime when confronted with an NYPD wanted poster.
He was arrested while trying to report a stolen item to police, who recognized him as the man who allegedly hit Buscemi.
Williams, who was photographed being arrested by police Friday in New York’s 13th Precinct, was charged with second-degree assault.
Williams allegedly had a bad reputation at the homeless center where he was apprehended, according to people living at the shelter.
A man named Aziz described Williams’ general attitude as unpleasant toward the New York Post.
“He called me a cracker and all kinds of stuff,” Aziz told the Post.
Another homeless man expressed disappointment in William’s target, Buscemi, saying there were plenty of other people he would rather punch in the face.
“(Williams) is an asshole. Why would you want to punch someone like Steve Buscemi? he told the outlet.
Buscemi was left bruised and bloodied after being punched in the face in one of the latest random attacks on the streets of New York last week.
The Brooklyn native, 66, was walking on Third Avenue near East 27th Street in Kips Bay on Manhattan’s East Side at 11:48 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
Williams, known as a “shithole” among neighbors, was also accused of attacking a 22-year-old Asian man just minutes before assaulting Buscemi, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge.
New York police tracked him down using surveillance footage and found him at a Brooklyn homeless shelter, his last known address, where he is known as a “shithole” among his neighbors.
Williams is seen approaching the actor and suddenly attacking him outside 369 Third Avenue, before fleeing the scene.
Buscemi was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was treated for bruising, swelling and bleeding to his left eye.
“Steve Buscemi was attacked in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” his publicist said.
“He is doing well and appreciates everyone’s well wishes, although he is incredibly sad for everyone who this happened to while he was walking the streets of New York.”
An employee who was nearby at the time of the attack told the New York Post: “I saw he was with a woman, then through the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall reverses it.
“He immediately got up and ran in the opposite direction,” they added. “I didn’t see who hit him.”
Police released a surveillance image of the alleged attacker, wearing a dark baseball cap, blue T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers.
Buscemi grew up in New York and was a firefighter in Brooklyn before quitting in the 1980s to pursue a career in acting.
He returned to his old firehouse hours after the September 11 attacks and stayed at the World Trade Center site for days, sifting through the rubble.
Buscemi starred in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire as protagonist Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson
The actor has a career spanning four decades and is best known for his roles in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and in films including “Fargo” (pictured with co-star Peter Stormare)
The award-winning actor has a career spanning four decades and is best known for his roles in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and films like “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs.”
While working on the film Domestic Disturbance in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2001, Buscemi was the victim of another brutal assault.
The actor intervened in a bar fight after two local men allegedly fought with his co-star Vince Vaughn and screenwriter Scott Rosenberg.
Buscemi was stabbed multiple times, above the eye and in the jaw, throat and arm, police said. He was treated at the local emergency room and released.
“The situation could have been life-threatening,” a source told Entertainment Weekly, which reported that the star returned home to New York to recover and undergo plastic surgery on her injuries.
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