Australian shot dead in NZ carjack attempt

The killing of Australian surfer Sean McKinnon in NZ has sent a shockwave across the Tasman.

It started with a bang on the window in the dead of night.

A stranger thumped on the campervan in which Australian Sean McKinnon and his Canadian fiancee, Bianca Buckley, were sleeping near a beach in the New Zealand surfing town of Raglan some time before 3.20am.

The man demanded the keys to the vehicle before firing his gun, killing the 33-year-old Australian.

Ms Buckley, 32, managed to flee, running several kilometres to a farmhouse for help and ­beginning a massive manhunt on New Zealand’s North Island for the killer, who on Friday night ­remained at large.

When the rented campervan was found with Mr McKinnon’s body about 70km away in Gordonton, it sent a wave of shock across the Tasman to the small town of Nirranda, near Warrnambool in Victoria’s southwest, where he was raised.

Yesterday, his distraught family said they’d lost a man with a “gentle sort of soul with a good sense of humour”.

Sean McKinnon was sleeping in the campervan with his 32-year-old Canadian fiancee — named in reports as Bianca Buckley — when the gunman fired.

The death has chilling similarities to the murders in Canada last month of Australian Lucas Fowler and his US girlfriend, Chynna Deese. In that case, a large manhunt was launched to find the killers — two teenagers, who later committed suicide.

In New Zealand, Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said a lone male was being sought over the “random attack”.

“Due to the circumstances of the attack, it’s likely that he has confided in members of the community,” Mr Pitkethley said.

“We are supporting the female victim, who is understandably very shocked and distressed, providing her with the support and welfare she needs.”

Mr McKinnon’s older sister, Emmeline, said she felt “sheer helplessness” when she learned of his death. “He was devastatingly handsome and a caring, sensitive young man, even as a boy,” she told the Herald Sun. “He would ­always tell you he loved you and would give you a hug.”

He was a talented surfer and musician, working hard across Australia in order to fund his international travels.

BREAKING: An Australian tourist has been shot dead in an attempted robbery in New Zealand. https://t.co/9ZOJxxulli #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/rFilVT75LA

— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) August 16, 2019

Ms Buckley has been living in Auckland, working as a midwife while volunteering as a yoga teacher.

Wanderlust had brought them together — they met on a surfing trip in South America — and they regularly travelled together.

According to Ms McKinnon, her brother had worked on the building of gas pipelines across Australia and frequently travelled to Auckland to be with Ms ­Buckley. His family are now making the same trip to New Zealand to comfort her.

Ms Buckley had recently been busy planning a surfing trip that took place last weekend at Whangamata, on the opposite side of North Island from where the attack occurred.

She was concerned about what Mr McKinnon could do while she was at the women’s surf meeting, asking on Instagram: “So just to be clear, the first three nights are girls only? Boys have to stay at home?”

In another post, she asked: “Will there be somewhere for men to gather in town if my fiance comes to camp for the weekend?”

Not far from the McKinnon family home, friends in Port Campbell on Friday night spoke of their grief. Childhood friend Olivia ­Tutungi said the community was in shock.

“Sean was completely unique,” she said. “He lived totally for the moment.

“He was an amazing musician and he had so much natural talent. He was also a really amazing surfer with completely his own style, and when he was surfing it just embodied who he was.”

Union figure Shaun Reardon said he knew Mr McKinnon and was “absolutely devastated” by his death.

“Sean and his family have been friends of mine for many years,” Mr Reardon said in a Twitter post.

“What a waste of a beautiful young life.

“Rest In Peace brother.”

Simon Illingworth, a Corangamite shire councillor, said Mr McKinnon was a popular man in the Port Campbell community.

“I knew him for years through surfing,” he told the Warrnambool Standard newspaper.

“He’s just an awesome bloke — cruisy, honest, give you the shirt off his back sort of bloke.

“Seanny Mac was always a legend. He would do somersaults off the Port Campbell pier with the kids. He always had time for everyone.”