LOWER MANHATTAN — The student accused of punching a high school principal when asked to take off his headphones pleaded not guilty to felony assault Monday, but told police after the incident that he he "lost control" because the principal was "very aggressive," according to court records.
According to police, on Oct. 24, principal Matthew Tossman asked 18-year-old Luis Penzo to remove his headphones as the student was blaring music through the hallway of the Early College School for Advertising, which is located inside Murry Bergtraum High School, at 411 Pearl St.
In a statement to police, Penzo said the principal "came up to me, he was very aggressive, he grabbed my beats and was very aggressive, so I lost control.”
When the principal tried to take the headphones, which had ended up on the floor, according to Penzo's statement, he said, "then I got angry."
"I hit him two times. He never hit me. I don't have injuries," he told police, according to court documents.
The noon attack left the principal with cuts around his eyes and swelling, police said.
Murry Bergtraum, which sits adjacent to Police Headquarters at 1 Police Plaza, has been the site of several violent incidents over the years. In December, a teen was reportedly accused of harassing a transgender teacher. In October, a student was caught with a loaded handgun in his backpack.
Penzo's lawyer did not immediately return request for comment.
Penzo is out on $2,000 bail. He's due back in court on Feb. 1
