Police in Invercargill say a man was assaulted at his own home by three people who turned up on his doorstep with a gun.
Limestone Plains Road, Thornbury - about 30km from Invercargill Photo: Google Maps
The man was asleep with his partner and child at the family's house on Limestone Plains Road near the settlement of Thornbury about 11pm on Monday.
They woke up to knocking at the door and the man got up to answer it.
He was then confronted by a person holding a gun, and two others who forced their way into the house.
Detective Sergeant John Kean said the man was dragged outside, assaulted and left on the lawn with neck fractures and a cut to his head. The group fled in a waiting car.
The man has since been discharged from Southland Hospital.
"Both he and his partner along with their child who was also home at the time have been traumatised by this serious, cowardly and unprovoked attack," Mr Kean said.
Police had examined the property and had 10 officers working on the case, he said.
They believed there might have been a fourth person driving the car for the group.
Anyone with information was asked to call the Invercargill police station on 03 211 0500 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.