A 45-year-old man’s fiancée reported that he accidentally collided with a teenager at the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday. Immediately afterward, he was punched, and then a mob of around twelve people “kicked and stomped” on his face.
The attack left the victim with multiple fractures in his jaw, necessitating emergency reconstructive surgery, according to sources.
‘It was just an absolutely senseless act of violence.’
Heather Hoffman shared with the press that her fiancé, Sammy Kimbrough, was in a crowd with two friends when the incident occurred—an occurrence that’s pretty common in large gatherings.
Reportedly, total attendance at the Fair that day was approximately 198,842.
“The young man began a verbal exchange with Sammy and became aggressive,” Hoffman continued.
“That bump… from my fiancé to a teenager escalated,” she told a local news outlet.
Hoffman informed the Pioneer Press that Kimbrough tried to say ‘excuse me’ or ‘back up’ before he was struck.
At that point, others joined in, “kicking and stomping on his face,” she added.
She described the group of teenagers as being around eight to twelve strong, “and when one of them hit him hard enough to bring him down, the others came and began stomping on his face while he was already unconscious, which caused the jaw fractures and led to him needing surgery.”
As of Wednesday morning, the Minnesota State Fair Police indicated that no arrests had been made in connection with the incident.
Kimbrough spent two days in the hospital before being discharged, although his mouth is currently bandaged shut. Due to the high location of one of the fractures, he’s been fitted with bands to hold his jaw in place alongside surgical plates.
“Once that fracture heals enough for him to open his mouth, he will have to undergo extensive dental surgery since he has numerous broken, knocked-out, and loose teeth,” Hoffman explained.
Kimbrough is employed as a mason tender for a construction company and does have insurance, but his fiancée anticipates that his medical expenses will be significant.
“He is still in excruciating pain,” Hoffman shared with the publication.
“It was just an absolutely senseless act of violence.” She mentioned that Kimbrough usually works summer security during Friday night car shows at a local bar, where he is known for his ability to de-escalate situations; ironically, this is what he was attempting to do that Saturday.
She expressed a desire for arrests and prosecutions stemming from the incident; the police have encouraged anyone with information to reach out to them.
While Kimbrough and Hoffman have attended the Fair every year without feeling unsafe before, he has since declared that he no longer wishes to return to the event.
As a show of support, Roddy’s Bar & Grill is organizing a raffle for Kimbrough on October 10 to help cover his medical bills and lost wages. Hoffman, who works as a bartender at a local bar, noted that they are also collecting donations.
“Many of you know Sammy and me. We are good individuals who are always available for anyone in need, and now we need your support,” the bar posted online, mentioning a donation bucket has been put in place behind the bar.
