Sammy Kimbrough underwent emergency reconstructive surgery after the Sept. 5 attack, while police say no suspects have been arrested.
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — A 45-year-old Oakdale man is recovering from serious facial injuries after he was knocked unconscious and attacked by several people during the Minnesota State Fair, according to his fiancée and police, who are still investigating the Sept. 5 assault.
Sammy Kimbrough suffered multiple fractures to his jaw and damage to several teeth in the late-night attack near Carnes Avenue and Nelson Street. Minnesota State Fair police said officers were dispatched to the area at 9:48 p.m. after what they described as a confrontation with another group of fairgoers. Police said no known weapons were used. No suspects had been taken into custody as of the latest public updates.
Kimbrough’s fiancée, Heather Hoffman, told local news outlets that Kimbrough had been walking through the crowded fair with two friends when he accidentally bumped into a person who was with a larger group. Hoffman said the encounter became verbally confrontational before Kimbrough and his friends continued walking. Her account of how the confrontation began has not been independently confirmed by police.
Hoffman said one person then approached Kimbrough from behind and punched him, knocking him unconscious. She said other members of the group joined the assault after he fell. FOX 9 reported that several people kicked Kimbrough while he was on the ground. CBS Minnesota also reported that Hoffman said he was kicked and stomped during the attack.
Hoffman was attending a concert at the fair’s Grandstand when the assault occurred and later learned that Kimbrough had been badly hurt. She told Alpha News that the group involved included about eight to 12 young men who appeared to range from their midteens to early 20s. Police have not publicly identified the attackers or confirmed their ages.
Kimbrough was taken to Regions Hospital, where doctors treated multiple jaw fractures and other dental injuries. FOX 9 reported that his jaw was broken in two places and that several teeth were missing or loose. He spent two days in the hospital and underwent emergency reconstructive surgery. Hoffman told news outlets that plates and other hardware were used to stabilize his jaw as part of his treatment.
By Sept. 10, Kimbrough had been released from the hospital and was recovering at home, according to Alpha News and Bring Me The News. Hoffman said he was unable to speak or eat normally because of his injuries and faced an extended recovery. She also said the injuries had temporarily prevented him from returning to his work as a masonry laborer.
Hoffman told Alpha News she initially wondered whether a weapon such as brass knuckles could have been involved because of the severity of Kimbrough’s injuries. State Fair police, however, said there were no known weapons used in the assault. Authorities have not announced evidence supporting the use of a weapon, and no criminal charges have been filed.
Hoffman also said investigators told her they had video connected to the assault, though she said the images did not clearly show the suspects’ faces. Police declined to give Alpha News additional details about evidence in the case, citing the active investigation. CBS Minnesota reported that neither the station nor Kimbrough’s family had obtained video showing the attack.
The assault occurred during the final weekend of the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. The fair recorded 217,929 visitors on Sept. 5, according to local reports. The annual event ran from Aug. 27 through Labor Day, Sept. 7, and recorded total attendance of 1,923,325 people, according to the Minnesota State Fair.
The incident came during a fair that officials otherwise described as relatively calm. Authorities reported only a small number of arrests or citations during the 12-day event, according to separate local reporting. The assault involving Kimbrough remains a distinct investigation, and authorities have not publicly connected the people involved to any gang or other organized group.
Friends and relatives have organized financial support and a benefit for Kimbrough as he recovers, with an event planned for Oct. 10 at a bar where he has worked security. Hoffman has said the family’s main concern is identifying those responsible. “We came to the fair for fun and left it in complete tragedy,” she told CBS Minnesota.
State Fair police continue to investigate the assault. As of Sept. 11, authorities had not publicly announced any arrests or identified suspects in the case, while Kimbrough continued recovering from reconstructive surgery and his other injuries.
Author note: Last updated September 11, 2026.