HOUMA -- A 16-year-old student at Ellender High was arrested Monday after he allegedly punched an assistant principal in the face, knocking the man to the floor, school officials and police said.

The teenager, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, had been involved with an argument with a group of other students and was being walked to the office when he lashed out at Assistant Principal Bill Simmons Jr., according to school Principal Marilyn Schwartz.

"The student basically instituted an unprovoked attack on Mr. Simmons and was arrested," Schwartz said. "As far as we know, there was nothing Mr. Simmons said or did to provoke that."

Simmons, in his second year as assistant principal, required stitches to close a cut on his face but was otherwise not seriously injured, Schwartz said.

Houma Detective Lt. Jude McElroy said the attack happened around 11 a.m. in front of a group of school staff members and students. The initial blow caused the cut above Simmons’ eye, though the student kept hitting him, McElroy said.

"The suspect kind of backed away and came back at him with another flurry of punches," McElroy said. "It was the first punch that caused the damage."

The teen was jailed for second-degree battery at the Terrebonne Juvenile Detention Center.

"This is very, very uncommon and very unusual," Schwartz said. "I am really just sad. This happened right in front of me."