Police arrested a homeless man suspected of beating Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi in a deranged attack in Manhattan last week.
Clifton Williams, 50, was arrested when he tried to report stolen property to police, and an officer recognized him as the man who allegedly punched Buscemi, 66, on a Kips Bay street on May 8.
Williams was knocked down by police on Friday in New York’s 13th Precinct and charged with felony second-degree assault.
He was also accused of attacking a 22-year-old Asian man just minutes before attacking Buscemi, which led to a misdemeanor assault charge.
The NYPD tracked him down using surveillance footage and found him at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, his last known address, where his neighbors know him as a “shithole.”
Police arrested deranged homeless man Clifton Williams, 50, who beat actor Steve Buscemi in a random attack in Manhattan on May 8.
Police released a surveillance image of the attack that shows 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 Kips Bay street in New York City last week.
Williams remained silent as he was escorted from the 13th Precinct to his arraignment.
Police received a call from the superintendent of the homeless services building in Chelsea. They reported harassment by Williams over allegedly stolen belongings.
When an officer arrived, they asked Williams 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 attack on Buscemi.
Williams allegedly confessed to his involvement in the crime when confronted with a wanted poster from the NYPD.
He was arrested when he tried to report a stolen item to the police, as one recognized him as the man who allegedly hit Buscemi.
Williams, who is pictured being run over by police on Friday in New York City’s 13th Precinct, was charged with felony second-degree assault.
Williams reportedly had a bad reputation at the homeless center where he was detained, according to people who live at the shelter.
A man named Aziz described Williams’ overall attitude as unpleasant to The New York Post.
“He’s called me a cookie and all kinds of things,” Aziz told the Post.
Another homeless man expressed his disappointment in William’s target, Buscemi, and said there are plenty of other people he would rather punch in the face.
‘(Williams) is an idiot. 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 City last week.
The 66-year-old Brooklyn native 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 minutes before attacking Buscemi, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge.
The NYPD tracked him down using surveillance footage and found him at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, his last known address, where he is known to his neighbors as a ‘***hole.’
Williams is seen walking toward 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 in his left eye.
“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in midtown 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 it is incredibly sad for everyone that this happened to them while they were walking the streets of New York.”
A worker who was nearby when the assault occurred told the New York Post: “I saw he was with a woman, and then around the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall backwards.”
“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 an acting career.
He returned to his old firehouse hours after the 9/11 attacks and remained 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 films such as ‘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 such as ‘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 reportedly got into a fight with his co-star Vince Vaughn and screenwriter Scott Rosenberg.
According to police, Buscemi was stabbed several times, above the eye and in the jaw, throat and arm. He was treated at a local emergency room and released.
“The situation could have been life-threatening,” a source told Entertainment Weekly, which reported that the star had returned home to New York to recover and undergo plastic surgery on her injuries.