NZ man shot in home of US girl he met online was 'determined' and 'relentless'

An Auckland man's alleged attempt to break into the house of a US teenager has been labelled relentless and violent by a county sheriff.

Troy Skinner was shot in the neck by the mother of a 14-year-old girl from the town of Goochland, Virginia, who he had met online.

Goochland County sheriff James Agnew said on Wednesday morning (NZ time) Skinner was likely to face charges of breaking and entering with a deadly weapon with the intent to commit rape, robbery or murder. The FBI was also helping with the investigation.

GOOCHLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Goochland County sheriff James Agnew said Troy Skinner smashed a glass door to try to enter home of the girl.

He said further charges were possible.

He said Skinner remained in hospital but had been moved to a secure ward from intensive care.

GOOCHLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Troy George Skinner, 25, remains in hospital.

A spokesman from VCU Medical Centre, the hospital Skinner is in, said the New Zealander was in "fair condition".

A staff member at the hospital told Stuff it was common practice for patients who were brought in by police not to have their details entered into the hospital system.

This was to help protect patient privacy and the police investigation, he said.

It was virtually "impossible" to access information from secure wards like the one where Skinner was being treated, the man said.

Those wanting updates on the victim of a shooting would have to get the information from police, he said.

Skinner, 25, was born in Otahuhu. Friends in New Zealand said they were shocked by reports of the incident in the US. 

Do you know Troy Skinner or more about the case? Email newstips@stuff.co.nz

While police were still looking into Skinner's exact motivation, Agnew said he believed Skinner intended to harm the young girl, her family, or both.

"[The attack] was pretty hard to fathom," Agnew said.

"It was a determined, planned, violent attack where he was relentless in his attempts to get into the house."

Agnew said Skinner was repeatedly warned by the homeowner that she had a gun but that didn't stop him.

Home invasions were unusual in Goochland and the attack was very rare, he said.

Upon his release from hospital, Skinner would be taken to Henrico County Jail, Agnew said.

When he was fit, Skinner would have a bond hearing in front of a judge to determine if his current status of no bail would continue, he said.

Skinner had flown from Auckland to Los Angeles before travelling to Virginia where he allegedly claimed he was a hitchhiker who needed help. Agnew said he smashed a glass door to try to enter home of the girl, who lives with her mother, father, and 18-year-old sister. 

"All I can say is the manner in which he attempted to enter that home in the face of a firearm pointed at him and the implements we recovered from him - the only inference is that he had very bad intent," Agnew said.

"His arrival here was totally unexpected by anyone.

"He had been told in the past that the daughter no longer wished to communicate with him."

Agnew said Skinner bought a knife and duct tape from Walmart after arriving in the US. 

Pepper spray was also found on him, he said.

The girl's mother saw a man trying to enter her home, warned him several times she had a gun, then fired after he broke the glass on the second door he tried to open. Skinner was struck in the neck.

Agnew continued: "I have to emphasise very clearly, that while he may be ... in the hospital [with a gunshot wound], he is not the victim. The lady [who shot Skinner to prevent him from entering] and her family members are the victims."

New Zealand Police are aware of the incident and will assist the US Authorities as necessary.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Tuesday confirmed it was in touch with the family of Skinner and had offered consular assistance. For privacy reasons no further information would be provided, a spokeswoman said.

'PLANNED TRIP'

Investigators believe Skinner's actions were part of a clearly planned trip from New Zealand, local news outlet the  reports. 

Skinner first made contact with the Goochland girl three to four months earlier via Discord, a voice-over-internet app that allows video-gamers to communicate via their personal device. 

US authorities have traced Skinner's movements back to a flight from Auckland at 6.05am on June 20 to Sydney. From there, Skinner boarded a 9.25am flight to Los Angeles.   

He took a third flight at 9.40pm to Washington DC, and then caught a Greyhound bus at 8.35am to Richmond, Virginia, 175 kilometres south of Washington DC. 

The Times-Dispatch reports that a neighbour saw a man in black clothing about 2.30pm cross the road near Steeplechase Parkway, where the mother and daughter lived. 

Two hours later, authorities received a phone call about a man wearing black trying to break into the family's home. 

Agnew said the mother was downstairs with one of her daughters when Skinner knocked on the front door, but she did not go to the door.

"They thought that was the end of it until they saw him at the back basement door, which is situated under the deck." 

"He got a brick and attempted to break that door down," the sheriff said.