Police appeal for help amid show of grief in Coffs Harbour following stabbing death of surfer Kye Schaefer, 21, at Park Beach
Detectives have urged the public to come forward with information after a young surfer was stabbed to death in a Coffs surf club car park – including about a man riding a bike in the area at the time.
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Homicide Squad detectives have urged the public to come forward with any information after a young surfer was stabbed to death in a Coffs surf club car park – including details of a man riding a bike in the area at the time.
Coffs-Clarence Police District and the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad have been investigating the tragic slaying of Kye Schaefer, 21, near Coffs Harbour Surf Life Saving Club at Park Beach on Ocean Pde shortly after 6am last Thursday.
Mr Schaefer was found by witnesses with multiple stab wounds to his chest and neck and he died at Coffs Harbour Base Hospital soon after, despite the efforts of NSW Ambulance paramedics and bystanders.
Mr Schaefer was in his wetsuit and it’s thought he had just left the surf when he was attacked.
“As investigation continue, strike force detectives are appealing to identify a man riding a bicycle in the area at the time of the incident,” police state.
Officers have also appealed for witnesses – particularly anyone with dashcam footage of the vicinity of the surf club and the Orlando St area at the time of the stabbing – to come forward.
On Monday, NSW Police revealed the state Homicide Squad had been called in and patrols had ramped up.
Investigators have been “pursuing several lines of inquiry” into the death.
Police have not yet publicly detailed any arrests, or interactions with persons of interest, though more information has been sought.
Officers have been looking at CCTV footage, but spokespeople would not specify from where.
Meanwhile, Mr Schaefer’s sister thanked the community on behalf of her family while online GoFundMe donations poured in.
“We would like to thank all involved on Thursday, our community went above and beyond to help our Kye,” sister Mimi Schaefer wrote on a GoFundMe titled “Kye Schaefer”.
“We will never forget the love and kindness we have been surrounded in since.
“Words cannot express the heartfelt gratitude we have for all the dedicated emergency and medical professionals.
“We thank the police for all that they are doing to help us make sense of a senseless situation and their efforts to help us maintain our privacy while we get our heads around this.”
The statement urged anyone “feeling anger and frustration” to “reach out to your family, a mate or a community service”.
“Tragedy can only be healed with love,” Ms Schaefer said.
She thanked fundraiser organiser Heather Isubikalu Ngobi and said the money would “help support us through the next stage”.
“ … we are a small family with limited resources, and this will help ease some of this load.
“Thank you all for your love and support,” she wrote.
The fundraiser, which describes Mr Schaefer as a man with a “big heart with a big smile”, had reached more than $20,200 of its $10,000 target on Monday.
Ms Schaefer wrote loved ones would “have our time soon to share our thoughts and memories” and asked family and friends to stay quiet if approached by journalists.
Police were seen combing Coffs Creek, which flows out at the beach, on Sunday, while the community was wondering aloud whether they needed to worry about a killer on the run.
By Monday morning, flowers and messages of mourning were piled high in the car park.
Social media posts about Mr Schaefer’s death attracted hundreds of comments – many describing a kind, gentle man well-known in the regional city.
One woman wrote on Facebook: “Just so sad. My heart goes out to his family and friends who knew him. Just breaks my heart that such a cowardly act took a beautiful life.”
Another woman said: “Another senseless death of an obviously beautiful young man with his whole life in front of him, my heart goes out to the family. The perpetrator should spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
A woman said she feared someone else could be targeted: “I hope they (police) move fast otherwise I fear someone else is next.”
Coffs residents Graham and Jenny rode their bikes to the beach to pay their respects to the young football (soccer) player and surfer on Monday.
The married couple declined to provide their surnames. Graham said he did not feel scared, but Jenny said she was a bit nervous – and their daughter was feeling quite paranoid.
Jenny was born in Coffs and has lived there all her life.
She said she was not frustrated with the progress of the police probe, with Jenny describing finding the stabber as potentially a “needle in a haystack” scenario.
Another couple who requested anonymity said they felt for the victim’s friends and family, as they too had lost a child.
They felt “devastated” by the horrifying incident – but said they would not be deterred from continuing their regular walk along Park Beach and the creek.
The man said he believed people were increasingly “desperate” and more likely to try to steal a car at knifepoint, for example.
He said it was rumoured Mr Schaefer stumbled on a person trying to break into his car – but police have not confirmed what’s thought to have happened. Some have suggested an incident in the surf, or links to nearby campsites.
Also spotted out and about was Noreen Savige, who is in a regular women’s craft group at the surf club, which enjoys trying to “solve the problems of the world”.
She said she did not think the crime rate was getting worse, but that Coffs was growing and naturally more incidents would occur.
Ms Savige said she would continue to visit the area, but would change where she parked.
She said the attack happened where she normally leaves the car and her husband was concerned.
Ms Savige said the craft club was “very good” and she was keen to continue.
Fellow craft lover Dawn, who was also hesitant to provide a surname, said she hoped the stabbing was a tragic one-off, worried about her grandchildren.
She felt “absolutely devastated” at the loss of life.
Anyone with information that may assist, or footage, should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided confidentially.
Originally published as Police appeal for help amid show of grief in Coffs Harbour following stabbing death of surfer Kye Schaefer, 21, at Park Beach
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