Australian Tourist Reportedly Shot Dead by a Gunman in New Zealand

This is a developing story

An Australian man has reportedly been shot dead in New Zealand. A gunman allegedly smashed their way into a campervan of two sleeping tourists near Raglan, a coastal town on the North Island, and shot a 33-year-old man inside, according to Stuff.co.nz. The other passenger, a Canadian woman, managed to flee to safety.

It is understood that the stranger took the vehicle with the victim still inside, and police later found the stolen campervan and a body in Gordonton, near Hamilton, some 80 kilometres away. The discovery has sparked a major manhunt and a homicide investigation in Waikato district.

The New Zealand Herald reports that the couple were asleep in their campervan at the Te Toto Gorge carpark in the early hours of this morning when they were woken by a stranger banging on the window, demanding the keys to the campervan. The Australian male was then shot more than once, while his partner somehow managed to escape and ran several kilometres for help.

Armed police responded to what they called a “serious incident” at about 3:20 a.m. About an hour later, another couple sleeping in a campervan in Raglan woke to armed police who were on the hunt for an individual involved in the Australian man's death. Police and the Armed Offenders Squad reportedly descended on the Manu Bay car park looking for a "shooter."

"At approximately 3:20 AM, police were notified that an offender had approached a van and shots were fired," Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said in a press conference this afternoon. "At approximately 8:00am this morning, police located the van with the man's body inside… Inquiries indicate that this was a random attack." He also said that police are "supporting the female victim, who is understandably very shocked and distressed, proving her with the support and welfare that she needs."

The attacker is still at large. Detective Inspector Pitkethley added that "it is understandable and concerning to have an armed offender outstanding but I want to reassure the public we are working hard to identify and locate the offender. It is our absolute priority."

This afternoon, armed police swarmed on a sports ground carpark in Hamilton and surrounded a vehicle. A resident who lives nearby said he heard what sounded like “gunshots” at about 12:30 PM.

"I live just off Killarney Rd so cop sirens aren't new to me,” the witness said. “I heard them and ignored but I heard a loud bang, a crash or a gunshot type noise, and when I looked outside all cops had guns out.

"I think an arrest was made."

It is unknown if this incident is linked to the shooting earlier in the day.

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