The 67-year-old actor was walking near Central Park when he was attacked in what police have described as a "random, unprovoked assault."
Thirty-five-year-old Marquis Ventura, a man who is believed to be homeless by New York Police, was arrested this Wednesday on suspicion of carrying out the attack.
"Thanks to an eagle-eyed sergeant from @NYPDTransit, this suspect has been apprehended and charged," the NYPD said in a tweet announcing the arrest.
Prior to the arrest, the police shared footage of the attacker on social media.
It was captioned: "WANTED for ASSAULT: On 10/1, at 7:24 AM, a 67-year-old male victim was walking southbound on Central Park West in the vicinity of West 70th Street, when an unidentified male struck him in the head with a closed fist, knocking him to the ground. Have info? Call/DM @NYPDTips."
In additional footage of the incident, the attacker can be seen wearing an "I (heart) NY" sweatshirt and hitting Moranis with a sucker punch, causing him to fall to the ground.
The 67-year-old went to a hospital after the attack, which appeared to be completely unprovoked.
Moranis' spokesman confirmed that he had been the victim of assault, releasing a statement about the incident at the time, NBC News reports.
"He is fine but grateful for everyone’s thoughts and well wishes," Troy Bailey said after the actor's assault became public.
NBC News said that Ventura was arrested by police on suspicion of assault in the second degree, which requires the "intent to cause serious physical injury to another person."
Moranis is pictured below in a scene from Honey I Shrunk The Kids.
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It is not known if Ventura has retained a lawyer or any other additional details about his arrest, NBC News added.
The New York Post reports that sources have said that Ventura has a history of more than a dozen arrests, five of which were for felonies.
Moranis is best known for his roles in Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and Honey I Shrunk The Kids.
Rick Moranis has been attacked on a New York City street by a stranger, the NYPD has confirmed.
Security footage shows the actor - who is best known for his roles in movies like Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, Ghostbusters, and Space Balls - being punched Moranis in the head by an unknown suspect in what is being called an "unprovoked attack".
Per CBS New York, the 67-year-old actor was knocked to the ground by the blow, in an attack that occurred in broad daylight on October 1, just before 7:30 AM on Central Park West near 70th Street.
Footage of the incident was later shared by officials on the NYPD Crime Stoppers Twitter page:
The suspect can be seen walking away calmly after the attack.
Police have confirmed Moranis to be the victim of the attack, and have stated that the beloved star went to the hospital with pain in his head, back, and hip, before reporting the crime at a nearby precinct.
Speaking to CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis, neighbors described Moranis as "a very nice guy", and were left stunned after hearing about the unprovoked attack.
Resident Jonathan Kurtin said: That why we moved here – to be safe.
"Everything’s been good, but I guess trying times. People do strange things, and they’re not always nice… You’ll be looking over your shoulder a lot more often."
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
The attack comes less than a month after Moranis made his first on-screen acting appearance in over 13 years - starring alongside Ryan Reynolds in the latest Mint Mobile commercial.
"Today Mintmobile is launching unlimited for just $30 AND bringing back Rick Moranis. Suck it, 2020," Reynolds tweeted.
In the 42-second ad, Moranis' cameo appearance comes as Reynolds invites him onto a grassy knoll as the pair exchange pleasantries.
When Moranis finally asks why he's been invited to the set, the Deadpool star responds by telling him he's a huge fan.
But this was not the first time Moranis has popped up on our screens this year, as he made a rare appearance on the Disney+ series Prop Culture.
The show focused on the props used in the wildly popular 1989 movie classic Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, in which Moranis played the lovable inventor Wayne Szalinski.
Moranis returned as Szalinski for the movie's 1992 and 1997 sequels, but shortly left the world of fame and seldom appeared on our screens since.
In fact, the Mint Mobile commercial marks the first time Moranis has acted on screen since his appearance in the 2007 television special Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary.
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But for those who are unaware, Moranis has previously spoken out about why he walked away from Hollywood.
Back in 1991, Rick's wife of five years - costume designer Ann Belsky - sadly passed away from breast cancer at the age of 34.
Speaking to USA Today back in 2005, Moranis spoke openly about the pressures of being a single parent:
"I pulled out of making movies in about ’96 or ’97. I’m a single parent, and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies.
"So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn’t miss it."
Moranis has never remarried.
The Honey, I Shrunk The Kids star later reflected on his decision to focus on his family during a 2013 appearance on a podcast called Bullseye with Jesse Thorn. Moranis said:
"The decision in my case to become a stay-at-home-dad, which people do all the time, I guess wouldn’t have meant as much to people if I had had a very simple kind of make-a-living existence and decided I needed to spend more time at home.
"Nobody would pay attention to it, but because I came from celebrity and fame and what was the peak of a career, that was intriguing to people. To me, it wasn’t that. I didn’t have anything to do with that. It was work, and it was just time to make an adjustment."
During the podcast, Moranis did open up about the parts of acting that he did miss, revealing: "I missed the people and I missed the very refreshing nature of doing something radically different every day.
"Raising kids and being a stay-at-home parent, especially a single parent … there’s a lot of sameness. It’s a very different kind of life than being on the set with [Dan] Aykroyd and [Bill] Murray and Steve Martin. So I missed that kind of thing, but I found lots of joy and lots of rewards in other places. It was just all part of an adjustment."
But will we ever see Moranis make a return to the big screen? Well, in a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Moranis stressed to his fans that he has never fully retired from acting, and would consider the right role. He said:
"I’m interested in anything that I would find interesting.
"I still get the occasional query about a film or television role, and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest, I’ll probably do it.
"But I'm happy with the things I said yes to, and I'm very happy with the many things I've said no to. Yes, I am picky, and I'll continue to be picky. Picky has worked for me."
However, it seems that Disney finally found that role, as back in February, it was announced that Moranis would be returning for a Honey, I Shrunk The Kids reboot.
Per Deadline, the movie is intended for theatrical release and is currently working under the title Shrunk. Moranis is believed to be reprising his role as Wayne Szalinski.
Last Friday, January 25th, a young man launched an unprovoked attack on an older US Navy veteran in New York. The incident was caught on camera, and very quickly went viral after being posted on Facebook Live.
"Brutal attack on an elderly male. Our communities will not stand for this and neither will the #NYPD @NYPDHousing @NYCHA," NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Sheet wrote on Twitter. "See him? call 911. Know him and his current whereabouts? Call @NYPDTips 800-577-TIPS (8477) #Brooklyn #YourCityYourCall #sharedresponsibility @NYPD79Pct."
The victim was identified as Wilfredo Arce, a 62-year-old pensioner. He suffered a broken nose and eye socket from the incident, which saw his assailant repeatedly kick him in the face.
The attacker has now been identified as Lytee Knox Hundley, a 31-year-old who handed himself in this weekend.
The video of the incident has since been removed from Facebook, but NYPD shared screenshots of the attack in order to appeal for help from witnesses.
It's not exactly clear what caused the altercation, but, at the beginning of the video, Hundley can be heard asking a woman in the apartment building, "Did this man come in right here, yes or no?"
After the woman replied "yes", Hundley responded: "Say no more," then attacked the vet.
He slammed into him, knocking him to the ground, then proceeded to pummel him while he was down. While this was happening, other bystanders can be heard laughing in the background.
The police appeal garnered strong reactions on social media, too.
"Truly disgusted by this assault on an elderly man," wrote one person. "Hope you guys find him soon and if a beat down (oops he fell) happens then so be it. No elderly person should be assaulted, recorded and laughed at. Hope you catch the person who put it on Facebook too!"
"Disgusting! What the hell is going on with people?" added another. "I hope this man is caught quickly and locked up for a looooong time. My prayers to the victims and his family. [sic]"
A third proposed a solution: "We need more police officers on streets attacking crews of guys hanging out on corners inside building [sic] and driving around let’s end all these criminals it’s simple: bring back the STOP and frisk harsh laws on these dum criminals but when they go to jail crying."
As previously reported, the 66-year-old actor, best known for starring in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, was pictured with a black eye and bruised chin in his first appearance since Wednesday’s (May 8) broad daylight assault.
Buscemi had been walking near the corner of Third Avenue and East 27th Street in the Kips Bay neighborhood at around 11:48AM when a stranger struck him in the face, per The New York Times.
He was taken to Bellevue Hospital after suffering suffered swelling to his face and left eye, authorities disclosed.
Buscemi was attacked by a stranger as he walked on the street. Credit: Maria Moratti / Getty
A worker who witnessed the incident on surveillance footage spoke to The New York Post and said: “The guy just came up to him and punched him on the side of the head for no reason.
“[Buscemi] didn’t see anything. He went straight to the ground and the guy kept going," they continued. “[Buscemi] got right back up with an expression like, ‘What just happened?’ and looked toward the guy who’d hit him.
“The guy shouted something back at him and kept going," the worker said, adding that the Kips Bay neighborhood “is full of people like this and it’s just getting worse".
“Everybody has to look over their shoulder now,” they noted. “And no one with the power to do anything wants to stop what’s going on.”
Buscemi's publicist issued a statement confirming that the actor was the man who had been attacked. Credit: IndieWire / Getty
While authorities did not reveal Buscemi as the victim, his publicist issued a statement on Sunday (May 12) confirming that the actor was the man who had been attacked.
“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” Buscemi’s publicist said.
“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,” they added.
The NYPD released surveillance pictures of the alleged attacker, a bearded man sporting a baseball cap, a blue t-shirt, and black sweatpants.
Exclusive security footage obtained by CBS News revealed the Hollywood star, who is a Brooklyn native and former FDNY firefighter, looking at his phone moments before he was randomly punched.
In addition to this, the publication shared another video showing the unnamed suspect seemingly talking to himself while walking down the street before he launched his attack on the beloved actor.
Anyone with any information on the suspect in Buscemi's case is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
On Friday afternoon, Alec Baldwin was arrested after allegedly punching a man over a parking space outside of his home in lower Manhattan. According to a New York Police Department spokesman, Baldwin had someone holding the spot for him, but before he could pull his car in, somebody else took it. Reportedly Baldwin and the driver then got into an altercation, and the 60-year old actor punched the 49-year-old victim in the face.
The incident occurred at about 1:35 p.m. on East 10th Street in The Village. One witness who lives on the block, and identified himself as Albert, told Page Six, "He just got into an altercation with someone over a parking [spot]. It’s like a scene from Goodfellas." A construction worker who declined to be named also witnessed the event. He says Baldwin yelled "What do you think you’re doing!" and "Shut the f–k up!" He adds that he saw Baldwin shove the victim, but did not see the alleged punch.
Authorities say the victim went to Lenox Hill Healthplex to be examined, and was not seriously hurt. Baldwin is expected to be charged with with misdemeanor assault, and was taken to a holding cell at NYPD’s 6th Precinct in Greenwich Village. Later he was released, and said nothing to the gaggle of reporters as he left the building.
The actor is well known for his brilliant work in television comedies like 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live. However, he's also made headlines for losing his temper in outbursts that weren't so funny. In 2014, a "belligerent" Baldwin went on a profanity-filled rant, after two female police officers stopped him for cycling down the wrong street. A source told Page Six he told the cops to "go f**k themselves," and complained, "Don’t you know my taxes pay your salary? Can’t you get that around your f**king head?" Baldwin was handcuffed, taken to the station and charged with disorderly conduct, plus going the wrong way on a one-way street.
In 2013, a New York Post photographer approached Baldwin and his family, and actor reportedly blew up, calling the man a "c***sucking f****t." As a result, his television show, Up Late, did not continue on MSNBC. The network issued a statement claiming this was a mutual decision. And most famously, in 2007, a voicemail leaked, in which Baldwin called his 11-year-old daughter, Ireland a "rude, thoughtless, little pig." A decade later, the Glengarry Glen Ross star opened up about the incident to Good Morning America. "It's a scab that never heals cause it’s being picked at all the time by other people," said Baldwin. "My daughter, that’s hurt her in a permanent way.”
Baldwin is an outspoken Democrat and hilariously mocks Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. So, you won't be surprised to learn that Republicans are feeling some serious schadenfreude after the actor's arrest. "Is anyone shocked at this piece of garbage anymore?" tweeted Donald Trump, Jr. "As if the phone calls to his daughter weren’t bad enough. He’s a lib so he gets chance after chance to be decent but always fails!" But his father only had four words. When asked about Baldwin's arrest, President Trump simply said, "I wish him luck."
Fans have voiced their anger after hearing Steve Buscemi was hospitalized after being attacked by an unknown assailant in New York City.
The Boardwalk Empire star, best known for his portrayal of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in the HBO series, became the latest victim of a random act of violence in the Big Apple.
On Wednesday (May 8), the 66-year-old star was walking near the corner of Third Avenue and East 27th Street in the Kips Bay neighborhood at around 11:48AM when he was approached by a man.
According to The New York Times, the man, who was a total stranger, punched Buscemi before walking away.
Steve Buscemi's publicist said the actor was a victim of a random act of violence. Credit: Dominik Bindl / Getty
The Fargo star suffered swelling to his face and left eye and was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.
The NYPD released surveillance pictures of the alleged attacker, a bearded man sporting a baseball cap, a blue t-shirt, and black sweatpants.
While authorities did not reveal Buscemi as the victim, his publicist issued a statement on Sunday (May 12) confirming that the actor was the man who had been attacked.
“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” Buscemi’s publicist said, per 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,” they added.
A worker who witnessed the incident spoke to The New York Post and said: “I saw he was with a woman, and then through the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall backwards.
“He right away got up and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t see who hit him," they continued. "It worries me for when we close because we close at 11 and it can get scary around that time," the woman, who asked to be identified only as Nat, added.
Fans have now taken to social media to express their anger at the suspect. Credit: Roy Rochlin / Getty
Many fans have now taken to social media to express their outrage at the suspect who randomly attacked the treasured actor, who has a career that has spanned four decades.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: "Whoever physically harmed Steve Buscemi should be publicly flogged. The f***ing audacity. That man is a goddamn national treasure. He is NOT TO BE HARMED.
"Anyone else riding at… well, not exactly dawn, but like 8am? Has Goodman been called in? This calls for some Walter," they added.
Another user said: "I don't know who punched Steve Buscemi but we hunting em down. No respect for a king. New York, get your s*** together."
A third commented: "I want the head of whoever hit Steve Buscemi on a spike by sundown," while a fourth added: "Whoever punched Steve Buscemi should have to wait tables in the US for the rest of their lives and never get tipped."
Actor Michael Rapaport also chimed in, writing: "This sick motherless p***k sent Steve Buscemi to the hospital today.
"He randomly attacked him, punching him in the face. Steve is the salt of the earth. A former firefighter who worked onsite 9/11, great artist, and easily one of the kindest and most generous people you could meet," he added.
The NYPD has disclosed that no arrests have been made and that the investigation was continuing.
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