The man who allegedly punched Steve Buscemi in the face last week has been arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
The New York Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that 50-year-old Clifton Williams was arrested and charged around 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, May 17, in midtown Manhattan.
The arrest comes days after Williams was identified as a suspect in the May 8 attack.
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According to the NYPD, the victim — who has been identified as Buscemi — was in the Kips Bay neighborhood around 11:50 a.m. when he was hit by an “unidentified individual.” He was then transported to the hospital “in stable condition due to a minor injury to his left eye.”
The actor was treated for “bruising, swelling and bleeding in his left eye” at Bellevue Hospital, the NYPD said.
Buscemi’s publicist later confirmed to PEOPLE that he was “attacked in midtown Manhattan,” calling him “another victim of a random act of violence in the city.”
Buscemi was “OK” after the attack, according to his publicist, who added that he appreciated the “well wishes” sent to him by fans. He was also “incredibly saddened for everyone that this happened to while also walking the streets of New York,” his rep said.
Steve Buscemi punched in ‘random’ attack while walking in New York
Steve Buscemi at the opening night of “The Fears” at the Irene Diamond Stage, Pershing Square Signature Center on May 18, 2023.
Gary Gershoff/Getty
According to ABC News, police responded to a disturbance call in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on May 17, when they realized the man was accused of yelling at the Williams men.
CNN reported that Williams also faces a third-degree assault charge in connection with a second incident, in which he is accused of punching a 22-year-old man 10 minutes before the alleged attack on Buscemi.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said the suspect has yet to be arraigned.
Buscemi’s Boardwalk Empire Costar Michael Stuhlbarg was also attacked in New York weeks before Buscemi, near the city’s Central Park on March 31.
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Source: HIS Education