Concert Goer Seriously Injured After Steel-Toed Boot Shatters Her Jaw In Mosh Pit

If you've been to a metal or hardcore show, you have surely seen 'pit ninjas' in the crowd - people throwing around spin kicks and punches solely for the purpose of hurting other concert goers. While the injuries are usually minor, Emily Jane Hoffman was seriously hurt after getting kicked in the jaw by a man wearing steel-toed boots at a show by hardcore band Code Orange in Salt Lake City. The band has set up a GoFundMe donation page for Emily to help pay her hospital bills.     

Hoffman suffered a broken jaw in four places and internal brain bleeding. After she was kicked, she immediately went unconscious and was carried out by friends and taken to the hospital. She said in a Facebook post that she was in the ICU for six days and is now on a liquid diet. Her recovery is expected to take three months. You can read the post below: 

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.

The band also released an official statement: 

“Please help support our friend Emily. We have all kinds of different people at these shows, and we have to all take care of each other-always. We’ve played hardcore shows all around the world and this is the first and only time an injury of this nature has taken place, and hopefully the last. We’ve been in contact with her and those around her since the beginning and she knows she’s got our support through this healing process. Our fans are very important to us, and as we continue to grow we all need to protect, support and help each other up.-CO”

In a video from a recent show, Drummer Jami Morgan said, "knocking out little girls doesn't make you tough." He continued, "I understand sh** happens," "but let's be mindful, there's all kinds of people here." 

You can donate to Emily's GoFundMe account here. 

Photo Credit: Getty