Andrew Cameron needed 28 stitches after being pistol-whipped in the face.
Andrew Cameron needed 28 stitches after being pistol-whipped in the face.
A North Canterbury man needed 28 stitches in his face after being brutally beaten by a home invader who remains on the run from police.
Andrew Cameron, who owns Hanmer Springs business Amuri Jet, was pistol-whipped by a masked gunman who burst into his family home in September.
Cameron's wife and children were held hostage in a room while the intruder forced a battered Cameron into a silver 2017 Nissan X-Trail belonging to one of his family members.
Meanwhile, his sister-in-law managed to sneak into another room and phone the police.
As Cameron and his captor left the property he leaped from the moving car and fled in a desperate attempt to escape.
Police said the SUV crashed into a fence and several shots were fired before the offender fled.
The vehicle was found two days later in the Christchurch suburb of Richmond.
A photo taken on the night of Cameron's attack shows blood streaming down his face from the intruder's attack.
Cameron previously told Fairfax that while the intruder held a gun to his head and demanded he tie up his family, he believed there was no time to be scared and he had to do something.
"You start tying people up, you're starting to lose your strength so at some point you had to make a decision - pretty hard to do that with a gun pointed at you though," he said.
He tied up his son loosely and told him to stay in his room. He offered the gunman money and a set of car keys, but the masked man did not want them, Fairfax reported.
Canterbury rural area commander Inspector Peter Cooper said police believe the attack was a case of mistaken identity and the victims were not the intended target.
"At this stage we haven't got a solid indication of who's done it. Someone in the public knows who the offenders are and we'd love to hear from them," he said.
Police believe it is possible the offender had others helping him.
"Police are working hard to find the person or people behind this hideous offending," Cooper said.
Cooper appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious, or the a silver 2017 Nissan X-Trail, registration KQU365, in the Hanmer Springs area between 8.30pm and 10pm on Monday to contact police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Christchurch police on (03) 363 7400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 08000 555 111.
