US Politics

A 28-year-old father of two, Shannon Royal, has died after being stabbed in the neck in the Riverina area of New South Wales. Emergency services found Royal with the injury on Calimo Street in North Albury around 1 a.m. on September 27. He was treated at the scene by officers performing CPR before being transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Doctors determined Royal had sustained catastrophic brain damage and would not recover. "They told us it's not good, and that he won't wake up from all the damage that happened to his brain," Royal's sister, Shantelle, told 7News. The family made the decision to keep him on life support for approximately a week before switching it off on October 4.

"We all just prayed and still had as much hope as we could," Ms. Royal said, adding that the family is struggling to process the loss. "We all have nightmares. I dream about it most nights... I think Dad understood straight away when the police were informing them... But my mum refused to believe that."

The family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses and to transport Royal back to Riddells Creek, where he grew up, for burial. The fundraiser states: "There are no words to describe the heartbreak of losing someone we love so deeply, especially in such devastating circumstances. Shannon leaves behind two beautiful young children who should have had so many more years with their dad. His life was taken far too soon, and the pain of knowing how much life he had left to live is something our family will carry forever. We want to bring Shannon home to the place where he grew up, so he can be laid to rest surrounded by family, loved ones, and the place he once called home."

Any remaining funds from the appeal will be directed towards supporting Royal's two children, according to Ms. Royal. NSW Police have established a crime scene at the location where Royal was stabbed, and detectives, along with the homicide squad, have launched an investigation under Strike Force Metron. Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time, has relevant information, or possesses CCTV, mobile phone, or dashcam footage to come forward.

Ms. Royal expressed her family's desire for answers and their hope that those responsible will be held accountable. "Nothing could ever compare to Shannon's life. Even if they find the one who did it and they cop life in jail, that would still never compare to Shannon's life. But it will bring us a sense of closure... really the only relief we're going to be able to get from this situation." She also emphasized the importance of finding the perpetrator to prevent similar tragedies from affecting other families. "We as a family would also hate for any other family to go through something like this. That's a potential risk, too, while this person's still out free. They could do this to someone else's son, someone else's brother or even father."