She ran for more than two kilometres in the darkness and through rugged bush in search of help before reaching a house where she called police. Meanwhile, the gunman drove the campervan for an hour, with Mr McKinnon's body still inside, before dumping it about 80 kilometres away in Gordonton, near Hamilton. Sean McKinnon was killed in what police have described as a random attack. Credit:Mark Taylor/Facebook "We are supporting the female victim who is understandably very shocked and distressed, providing her with the support and welfare that she needs," Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said on Friday afternoon. "We are still working through injuries she may or may not have obtained during the ordeal. The terrain where the vehicle was stolen is quite rough with a lot of bush around."

The gunman responsible for what Detective Inspector Pitkethley described as a random, "absolutely tragic" attack was still at large on Friday night. A massive manhunt was under way across the Waikato region, around Hamilton, with police saying they were "working through a number of leads". "This is a tragic incident. Inquiries indicate this is a random attack," Detective Inspector Pitkethley said. Sean McKinnon and Bianca Buckley. Credit:Facebook Raglan is a well-known surfing spot for big-wave surfers. Mr McKinnon loved to the surf big swells off Port Campbell, not far from his hometown of Nirranda.

The couple had parked their rented Apollo campervan in the Te Toto Gorge track carpark, not far from the water. A friend of Mr McKinnon, who did not wish to be named, said his mate was a "lovable, knockabout Aussie guy". "He loved to surf big waves down the coast. He charged five-metre waves," he said. It is understood Ms Buckley had started a new job in Auckland as a midwife in January and Mr McKinnon had joined her for a holiday about two weeks ago.

Police near the campervan where Sean McKinnon's body was found. Credit:Mark Taylor/STUFF Police asked for anyone who saw the couple's 2017 white Toyota Hiace ZL van between the hours of 2am and 8am on Friday local time to contact police. But a description of the gunman was not forthcoming. "We are seeking a male in regard to it. What I can say is that someone out there in the community knows who this offender is so I'm asking them to contact police immediately," Detective Inspector Pitkethley said. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video

Cafe owner Colin Chung said Raglan's rocky coastline provided some of the best surf in New Zealand, but it was off the beaten track for tourists. He heard helicopters in the air about 6.30am on Friday, but thought it might have been about a boat in trouble. Loading "It stayed in the air for a long time, maybe 45 minutes," he said. Resident Baillie Buchanan said she was driving from Hamilton to Waihi Beach when she came across police surrounding the abandoned campervan on Gordonton Road about 8.50am local time (6.50am AEST).