Actor Steve Buscemi was assaulted in New York City in broad daylight last week when an unknown man attacked him out of the blue (a trend right now in NYC).

Steve Buscemi is one of the most recognizable faces and beloved New Yorkers in the world, and he's getting sucker punched on the sidewalk in the middle of the day??

The actor suffered swelling to his face and left eye and was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, his deranged assailant took off and is still on the lam, police sources said ...

Police released this surveillance photo of the suspect who attacked Buscemi:

Cops said the random attack happened around 11:48 a.m. Wednesday in front of 369 Third Ave.

'I saw he was with a woman, and then through the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall backwards,' a worker in the area who witnessed part of the assault told The Post. '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,' said the woman, who asked to be identified only as Nat.

Buscemi wasn't even alone. The maniac didn't care and just punched him for no reason. Didn't want his wallet or anything.

This is happening all over the city, especially to women:

New York seems like its just becoming a prison island for the criminally insane at this point!

Nearly 4 years ago, we saw a similar attack when a guy assaulted actor Rick Moranis for no reason at all.

What does it say when New York can't even protect its most prominent citizens??

P.S. Now check out our latest video 👇