A Concertgoer Is In ICU After A Kick From A Man In Steel-Toed Boots Shattered Her Jaw At A Hardcore Show

Shows are supposed to be fun, sometimes life-affirming experiences. They are not supposed to be a setting where one might sustain possible life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, the latter scenario was the case at a Salt Lake City show in mid-January, where concertgoer Emily Jane Hoffman was took a roundhouse kick to the face in the middle of a set from hardcore band Code Orange. After spending nearly a week in the Intensive Care Unit, Hoffman has taken to Facebook to tell her story, and plead that people not promote violence at shows, and that those perpetrators of violence be held accountable for their actions.

“He hit my jaw so hard that it moved the entire thing to one side breaking it in two places on each side,” she wrote. “My right side of my jaw was no longer connected to my skull or muscle, it was still in my face because of my skin.”

Here is her full post:

I went to the Code Orange show this last weekend at Kilby Court and I left with the worst merch ever. Some guy was there who decided to wear steel toe boots. He round house kicked me in the face.

He hit my jaw so hard that it moved the entire thing to one side breaking it in two places on each side. My right side of my jaw was no longer connected to my skull or muscle, it was still in my face because of my skin.

I know can give TSA hell every time I go to the airport with the two nose rings and 4 metal plates in my jaw.

My jaw has been restructured and my brain has stopped bleeding, I’m feeling better but my face still hurts so much. I stayed in the trauma ICU for 6 days, my jaw is wired shut I can’t speak and I have lost 9 pounds in 7 days because I can’t have anything but liquids.

I had a hard time figuring out what the worst part was about my situation for a bit. Between the medication that is being pumped into me all day everyday. Getting my jaw shattered, having to get reconstructive plates put in, being confined to a bed for the next few weeks. There are many more I could list. I finally figured it out. When you go to a show where there will be moshing and you wear steel toe boots, your intentions are to hurt someone. when you swing kick your feet in your steel boots you’re trying to hurt someone. When you hit someone in the face then you see her unconscious and you run off to not get caught. You’re something else, I really don’t have the words for what you are.

In case you see this, I’m the girl from the show at Kilby court 1/21/17. This is what my face and smile used to look like. This is what you did. Hope you don’t glance past this post like you did with me.

In recent days, many fans have used social media to make the incident known to the members of Code Orange, with the band stating both onstage and on Twitter that they have contacted Hoffman to offer their support, and that “Knocking out little girls doesn’t make you tough.”

Hoffman has set up a GoFundMe page to help offset the medical costs. Donate here.