Beloved Character Actor and 9/11 First Responder Attacked by Random Maniac in Broad Daylight

Steve Buscemi Punched by Apparent Maniac in Broad Daylight

An apparently unprovoked attack on the beloved character actor Steve Buscemi is only the latest incident highlighting the dangers of street crime in New York City.

In the disturbing incident in New York City’s Kips Bay neighborhood on Sunday, actor Steve Buscemi was assaulted last week during a daytime attack, marking another case of unprovoked violence in the city.

According to law enforcement sources who spoke to The New York Post, the attack occurred as the 66-year-old Brooklyn native and former Boardwalk Empire star was walking through the area. Buscemi experienced swelling to his face and left eye and required medical attention at Bellevue Hospital.

The assailant, described as deranged by police sources, fled the scene and remains at large.

“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” said Buscemi’s publicist in a statement to The Post. “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 attack took place around 11:48 a.m. on Wednesday in front of 369 Third Ave. A local worker, identified by the aforesaid publication only as Nat, recounted seeing Buscemi with a woman before witnessing the actor trip and fall backwards through the window of her workplace.

“He right away got up and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t see who hit him. It worries me for when we close because we close at 11 and it can get scary around that time,” she told The Post.

The NYPD has released surveillance photos of the alleged attacker, who is depicted as a bearded man wearing a baseball cap, a blue t-shirt, and black sweatpants.

Buscemi is also known now for his role as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in the hit series Boardwalk Empire, and he is the second actor from the series to be assaulted in New York this year. Actor Michael Stuhbarg, who played gangster Arnold Rothstein, was attacked on March 31 while running on the Upper East Side, being struck in the back of the neck with a rock. The assailant, Xavier Israel, 27, was apprehended by the NYPD after Stuhlbarg chased him towards police near the Russian Consulate. Israel had a prior arrest record for assault and robbery in 2022.

The Emmy Award-winning actor was active with the FDNY in the 1980s and continues to engage with the community, such as dressing as a character from 30 Rock to distribute Halloween candy in Park Slope in 2021. As of Sunday, the NYPD reported that the suspect in Buscemi’s attack is still at large.

Perhaps Buscemi’s most notable claim to bravery is his service as a first responder at the World Trade Center, drawing on his background as a firefighter in a dangerous and grisly mission. Though Buscemi had long since retired from the FDNY to pursue his successful career in film, he dutifully rejoined his old firehouse, Engine Company 55 in Manhattan, to assist in the grueling search and rescue efforts at Ground Zero. Buscemi worked 12-hour shifts alongside other firefighters, sifting through the rubble and debris in search of survivors—earning the admiration of fans who know the story.