Steve Buscemi's fans may finally
see justice being served. Here's the latest development on the sucker
punch that rocked New York City. When social media users learned that Steve
Buscemi had been randomly attacked in Manhattan, on May 8, they were not happy. One fan on X wrote, "The man who sucker punched
him better turn himself in, cause New Yorkers are not having this. He is
at strong risk of never being seen again." Buscemi's assailant struck him in the face, and
a witness said they saw the actor fall to the ground. He was lucky to escape the attack with
minor injuries, including facial swelling and bruising. Buscemi didn't let the incident scare
him from working in the city. Page Six obtained a photo of Buscemi filming in SoHo after the
assault, and he appeared to have a black eye. Witnesses told ABC 7 that Buscemi actually tried
to chase his attacker, whose likeness was captured on surveillance footage. Police initially
identified the suspect as a 50-year-old named Clifton Williams, and on May 17, Williams
was finally arrested by New York City police. A few other celebs have been randomly assaulted
throughout the years, including in New York City. In March 2024, a man hurled a rock at
Steve Buscemi's "Boardwalk Empire" co-star Michael Stuhlbarg and hit his neck. According
to The New York Times, Stuhlburg did not seek medical treatment after his unprovoked
attack, which took place in Central Park. "The victim suffered from pain to
the head, back, and right hip." Both of the actors' attackers were arrested, although similar assaults in the city
haven't always turned out the same way. In March 2024, the New York Post corroborated the
claims of two New York-based TikTokers who claimed they were struck in the head in random attacks.
The NYPD confirmed that it was investigating the assaults that Halley Kate and Olivia Brand
described in videos on their TikTok accounts. "The city has changed. It's very
— I think it's frightening." The week following Buscemi's attack,
the New York Post also spoke to an acting student who was assaulted mere blocks
away from where the actor got punched. The anonymous male victim told the outlet that
his attacker swung a heavy bag at him and struck his head. The victim also recalled
a conversation between the EMTs and law enforcement officials who responded to
his attack. He told the New York Post, "They were all saying it's happening more and more now — at least once a day they're
getting called for these attacks." CBS News spoke to former NYPD Deputy Commissioner
Rich Esposito about the random attacks on New Yorkers, and he confirmed that the city has
seen an increase in such incidents. On X, some conservative media figures, including
Alex Jones, attempted to use Steve Buscemi's attack to score political points. One user even
likened the city's atmosphere to that of Gotham. However, other social media users showed
support for the actor by making the case that few people are as undeserving of a punch
to the face as he is. One person wrote on X, "It's like seeing a puppy and kicking it
for no other reason than it was there." Actor and former Barstool Sports podcaster
Michael Rapaport reminded everyone of what Buscemi did for a living before
he became an actor, writing on X, "Steve is the salt of the earth. A former
firefighter who worked onsite 9/11, great artist, and easily one of the kindest
and most generous people you could meet." Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder even
voiced his outrage over the attack during a Sacramento concert. According
to The Mercury News, Vedder said, "I mean, hit me — don't hit him." Of course, with so many
famous faces getting punched, maybe it isn't the best idea
to tempt fate like that.