In a random and brutal moment, actor Steve Buscemi was attacked on the streets of New York City, with a man blindsiding him with a punch to the face. According to the New York Post, Buscemi was taken to the hospital and suffered bruisings. The assailant has yet to be caught.
According to his publicist (as per the New York Post), “Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city…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.”
As you can imagine, fans of Steve Buscemi and those within the industry have come to the actor’s defense, saying it is an outrage that such an occurrence would even happen. Let’s also not forget that in addition to being a beloved presence on both the big and small screens, Steve Buscemi has been a pillar of the community, working as a firefighter for the New York City Fire Department in the ‘80s and volunteering in the aftermath of 9/11 for his former house.
There have also been calls on the New York Police Department to enforce change immediately, saying the city is out of control. While we won’t comment on that directly, it is truly unfortunate that Steve Buscemi is just the latest to be the victim of violence, whether he’s an actor or not. But Deadline has noted that the likes of Michael Stuhlbarg and Rick Moranis have also been targets. Just last month, Stuhlbarg was allegedly attacked by a homeless man with a rock. In 2020, Moranis – of all people! – was also assaulted, with that assailant eventually pleading guilty to various charges.
While we know that there isn’t some sort of dumb online trend where you attack a celebrity on the streets of NYC for internet clout, it’s still a disturbing trend and just another example of just how disruptive and dangerous people can be in public.
We here at JoBlo.com want to wish Steve Buscemi the best in any recovery he may need and are hoping the attacker is caught soon.