The 'Boardwalk Empire' actor assures that he is fine although he suffered swelling to his face and left eye after he was struck by an assailant during a walk in Manhattan.
- May 13, 2024
AceShowbiz - Steve Buscemi has fallen victim to random New York City street violence. Assuring that he is "ok" after he was punched in the face by a man last week, the actor lamented the terror that has worried other residents in the Big Apple.
The 66-year old, known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" and HBO's series "Boardwalk Empire" among others, was strolling through Kips Bay, a neighborhood on the east side of Manhattan, on Wednesday, May 8 when a man walked up and struck the actor in a broad-daylight attack. It happened at around 11:48 A.M. in front of 369 Third Ave. It's one of the latest unprovoked assaults in the five boroughs, according to law enforcement sources.
The actor suffered swelling to his face and left eye and was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, according to The New York Post which first reported the news. "Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city," his publicist said in a statement to the outlet. "He is ok and appreciates everyone's well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to while also walking the streets of New York."
The assailant took off and is currently wanted by police. The NYPD has released surveillance photos of the alleged attacker, a bearded man wearing a baseball cap, a blue T-shirt and black sweatpants. He also appeared to carry a backpack.
"I saw he was with a woman, and then through the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall backwards," said a worker in the area who witnessed part of the assault. "He right away got up and ran in the opposite direction. I didn't see who hit him." The woman, who asked to be identified only as Nat, added, "It worries me for when we close because we close at 11 and it can get scary around that time."
Steve is the second actor from "Boardwalk Empire" who fell victim to random attacks in New York City. On March 31, his co-star Michael Stuhlbarg, who played gangster Arnold Rothstein on the show, was out for a run on the Upper East Side when he was struck in the back of the neck with a rock. The NYPD arrested a deranged vagrant, Xavier Israel, 27, in the assault, which took place around 7:45 P.M. near East 90th Street and East Drive.
