New York, NY – A homeless man who randomly punched actor Steve Buscemi in the eye in Kips Bay was arraigned on Saturday with a bail set at $50,000 cash, according to court records. Clifton Williams, 50, allegedly approached Buscemi, 66, on Third Avenue and assaulted him before walking away. The actor suffered injuries to his eye, along with swelling and bruising as a result of the attack, as stated in a criminal complaint.
Williams faces a felony charge of second-degree assault due to Buscemi’s age, and a misdemeanor charge for an unrelated assault on a 22-year-old man just minutes before attacking the actor. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Barry highlighted Williams’s extensive criminal history in Kentucky and Florida, emphasizing his propensity for violence. Despite Barry’s request for $100,000 bail, Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso set bail at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond, sending Williams to Rikers Island jail.
The NYPD identified Williams through surveillance footage and apprehended him after a citywide search. Williams confessed to his involvement in both attacks when confronted by officers. In addition to the incidents on May 8, another man reported an encounter with Williams, where he was threatened and chased. The man, Mark Belli, claimed Williams had been living in a cardboard box near his workplace and became confrontational when his box was disturbed.
Belli’s account, although unconfirmed at the moment, sheds light on Williams’s volatile behavior and the challenges faced by the homeless population in the city. The incident involving Buscemi has sparked discussions about safety and support for individuals experiencing homelessness. As the case unfolds, concerns about mental health resources and social services for vulnerable populations come to the forefront. The impact of such random acts of violence reverberates through the community, igniting calls for greater awareness and solutions to address the root causes.