Shane is a deputy sheriff in King County, Georgia, when the undead menace suddenly destroys the trappings of civilized society. He is the partner and best friend of Rick, who, prior to the zombie outbreak, is injured in the line of duty and lapses into a coma. When walkers begin feasting on humans -- who then turn into walkers, -- Shane convinces Lori that Rick is dead and the two, along with Lori and Ricks young son Carl, flee their home and head for Atlanta. Along the way, the new family picks up additional survivors with Shane playing a leadership role in keeping everybody alive.Shane is a man of action and fiercely protective of Lori, with whom he begins a sexual relationship, and Carl, with whom he begins to develop a father-son bond. All is thrown into serious doubt when Rick turns up alive and well to join their group of survivors. Afterward, Shane becomes increasingly desperate for Loris attentions and aggressive in his hard-line decisions to keep the group safe, often clashing with fellow survivor and pacifist Dale. Shane comes to view the world in stark terms, unbending in his opinion that the first and only priority is keeping the group safe humanitarianism and, often, sympathy be damned.