Charges bound over in campus elevator assault

District Judge Allen Sinclair bound over all charges against a Penn State student accused of assaulting another student in an elevator on campus Saturday.

David Mikhail Stepanyan, 19, is charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing, unlawful restraint, simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct for fighting.

Penn State Police Officer Cyprien Brien testified that Stepanyan was not a resident of Snyder Hall, where the alleged assault took place, and that he followed the victim into the dorm.

Brien also testified that Stepanyan and another male were in the elevator for at least 18 minutes “continuously pushing the door open button.”

According to Brien, the entire interaction was filmed on a camera attached to one of the elevator walls.

That video was introduced as evidence Wednesday. Cyprien testified that Stepanyan is seen pulling the victim into an elevator, punching and kicking him.

While defense attorney Richard Katsifis did not object to the video being shown, he did object to it being inducted as evidence.

Katsifis’ motion was denied.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 2:41 PM.