A New Zealand father who spent nearly four years on the run with his three children was shot dead by police during a violent confrontation.
Tom Phillips vanished into the Waikato wilderness with his children, Ember, now nine, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12, just before Christmas 2021, after a custody dispute with their mother, Cat.
Their disappearance sparked nationwide concern and repeated police searches through the rugged, forested region.
For years, sightings were scarce, and it was unclear if the children were even alive until pig hunters spotted them last October.
Witnesses described them wearing masks, carrying heavy packs, and moving through the bush under Phillips’ guidance.
The manhunt came to a dramatic end on early Monday morning. Around 2:30AM, police were called to a rural farm supply store in Piopio after reports of a burglary. Officers said two people on a quad bike, dressed in farm gear and headlamps, fled the scene with stolen items.
Police laid spikes at an intersection, forcing the quad bike off course. At that point, the driver turned and opened fire, striking one officer in the head and shoulder and leaving him critically injured.
"Our officer has been struck in the head… soon after a second patrol unit arrived and engaged the offender," Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers said, per The Guardian. First aid was attempted, but Phillips died shortly after.
Multiple firearms were recovered at the scene, along with Phillips’ eldest daughter, Jayda. Later in the day, Ember and Maverick were located at a nearby campsite after Jayda provided vital information.
“I can confirm that the children are well and uninjured, and they will be taken to a location this evening for medical checks,” Rogers said.
The children’s mother said she was relieved but heartbroken. “Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved,” she said. “They have endured a long and difficult journey, and we ask for privacy as we help them adjust and reintegrate into a stable and loving environment.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the events “sad and absolutely tragic,” adding: “This is not what anybody wanted to happen today, and I think that is … a consistent feeling from everybody across New Zealand."
Waitomo mayor John Robertson described the outcome as “the worst possible” for the tight-knit rural community. “I’m shattered, to be honest, and there will be many in the community that are devastated that this was the outcome after three and a half, four years,” he said.
Police said about 50 specialist staff were deployed in the search effort, as they feared the children could be left alone overnight in near-freezing conditions.
“This has been a deeply traumatic incident … confronting and challenging in a small, rural, isolated location,” Police Deputy Commissioner Jill Roger said.
The injured officer remains in the hospital, recovering from surgery.