Coffs Harbour fatal stabbing: Tributes flow for surfer Kye Schaefer, 21, as community comes to grips with tragedy
The identity of the young surfer tragically stabbed to death in broad daylight after a morning surf at a Coffs beach has been confirmed. Meanwhile, the killer is at large, according to the latest from authorities.
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The young surfer stabbed to death in broad daylight after a morning surf at a Coffs Harbour beach was 21-year-old man Kye Schaefer, it has been confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Coffs Coast has been racked with shock and grief – a “broken” community coming to grips with the violent encounter, while the killer was seemingly still on the run on Friday afternoon.
Despite multiple requests, NSW Police had not provided any updates on the investigation. Police spokespeople would not confirm or deny whether the stabber was still at large, despite clear community concerns.
The Coffs community is on tenterhooks after the terrifying incident, with some “rattled” and saying “they just wanted to go home and hug their kids after it happened”, one resident said.
A family friend and Coffs businesswoman said Mr Schaefer was much-loved young man.
“He was an extremely gentle soul, quiet spoken, polite and well mannered,” she said.
“All the family are wonderful people.
“We had the privilege of both Kye, his dad Tony and Kye’s sister Mimi all working for us, and Tony and his wife Pam have become good friends.”
The resident said she was “heartbroken” for the family following the “violent and pointless” incident.
Mr Schaefer was fatally stabbed in the neck and chest after leaving the surf at Park Beach on Ocean Parade shortly after 6am on Thursday.
Emergency services were called to the car park and found Mr Schaefer suffering significant stab wounds.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated Mr Schaefer on scene and he was taken to Coffs Harbour hospital in a serious but stable condition for treatment, but tragically died.
Police set up a crime scene, with sources suggesting a secondary crime scene had been cordoned off, including a vehicle and a tent on the foreshore.
Community members took to Facebook, concerned about the status of the investigation.
Jas Fernando asked: “So is there a deranged person on the loose with a knife? Has this person been caught because I’d like to know before I walk my dog around the creek area tomorrow?”
Julee Lynn added: “Did they find the person who did it or do we have some loco running around?”
Former ASP world tour surfer Lee Winkler, who runs a surf school at Coffs, told NewsLocal he was “100 per cent” certain the incident was not linked to ‘surf rage’.
“We are a tight-knit surfing community here. I would 100 per cent know if it happened in the water,” he said.
“I’ve been surfing around here for 40 years, have never seen any physical violence in the water on a low-scale – let alone to this extremity.
“Everyone is completely shocked. The community is broken.
“It’s also made everyone feel like they are living in fear. Parents are freaked out about their kids going for a surf.”
Mr Winkler said some friends training at the Coffs Harbour Surf Club gym heard “screams for help” and rushed to the car park to help Mr Schaefer before paramedics and police arrived.
He said he believed the 21-year-old had been surfing the break regularly in recent weeks, but and was still a learner.
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said the stabbing was “all anyone is talking about” and the community was “rattled”.
“I heard some parents tell me all they wanted to do was go home and hug their kids. It’s devastating. Murders are incredibly rare here.” he said.
Cowper MP Pat Conaghan shared a heartfelt tribute for the man on Facebook and said more needed to be done to stop violent knife crime.
“My thoughts this afternoon are with the family and friends of the young man stabbed to death on one of our region’s beautiful beaches,” he said.
“With two sons myself, I can only imagine what you are going through.”
Mr Conaghan spoke of the attack and said there was ”a currently unknown assailant”.
“To those that discovered the young man and to the first responders attending the scene today, I hope that you are taking care of yourselves and using the support services available to you. Thank you for your service,” he said.
Mr Conaghan said the NSW government needed to consider introducing legislation similar to Jack’s Law in the state.
The law was recently passed in Queensland following the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Jack Beasley on the Gold Coast in 2019.
“Enacted in March 2023, the law gives QLD police greater search powers to find and confiscate dangerous weapons using a detection wand,” Mr Conaghan said.
“Jack’s Parents, Brett and Belinda Beasley, met with NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley just this week to talk about Jack’s Law and describe the law’s success in weapon confiscation since its enactment.
“The Minister has since said that she will ‘consider it’. I believe this needs much more than just ‘consideration’.
“If it has been proven effective in our neighbouring state, what is there to consider?”
After the stabbing, concerned residents took to Facebook to speak about community safety, and share tributes.
One user wrote: “I’m glad I moved away from Coffs. It’s not the same place I knew.”
Another added: “A young life taken far to soon may he rest in peace we are thinking of the family.”
One user wrote: “This is why we left Coffs Harbour.”
Another poster said the stabbing was “beyond comprehension” and they “feel great sadness for the young man and his friends and family”.
One user wrote he was “horrified” and “the poor bloke just wanted to have a surf, this is incomprehensible. How terribly sad”.
Coffs MP Gurmesh Singh said the community was in a state of “significant fear and trauma”.
“I was actually in Sydney for the Bondi incident a few weeks ago and it hanged the feeling of Sydney overnight – this incident has done the same in Coffs,” he said.
“There’s a lot of fear and trauma in the community at the moment and I would encourage anyone who needs mental health support to go and seek it out immediately through the available channels”.
Mr Singh said he had heard through police on Friday morning that the investigation to track down the alleged offender was ongoing.
Got a story tip? Email sam.stolz@news.com.au
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Originally published as Coffs Harbour fatal stabbing: Tributes flow for surfer Kye Schaefer, 21, as community comes to grips with tragedy
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