A New Zealand man who spent nearly four years on the run with his three young children was shot and killed by police on Monday after he opened fire during an attempted burglary, authorities said.
Police said officers were alerted about 2:30 a.m. local time to a suspected break-in at a supply store in Piopio, a small North Island town where the family was believed to have been hiding. When officers saw two people riding a four-wheeled bike near the scene, they deployed road spikes in an effort to intercept them. The man, identified by police as Tom Phillips, fired on officers, striking one in the upper body. Police returned fire and Phillips died at the scene. The child with him was unharmed and taken into custody, and the wounded officer was transported to hospital.
Later that afternoon officers located the other two children at a makeshift campsite about a mile from the shooting scene and recovered them unharmed, police said. The three children have been identified as Ember, now believed to be 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12. Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers said authorities were relieved the children were safe after nearly four years on the run.
"This is an emotional development. To know the children are safe, and now receiving care after nearly four years, is an absolute relief," Rogers said in a statement. "We are grateful to see an end to what has been three years of torment for the children’s family."
Police recovered three firearms at the scene, including the weapon used to fire on officers, and later found additional weapons at the campsite. Authorities said Phillips faced outstanding charges that included aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawful possession of a firearm. Surveillance footage from Aug. 27 captured what police said was Phillips attempting to break into a retail store during the years he was believed to be living in isolation with the children.
Local media and police had expressed ongoing concern for the welfare of the children during the manhunt, saying they were being raised in isolation without access to formal schooling or health care. Despite several reported sightings in the Waikato region over the years, repeated police efforts to locate the family were unsuccessful until Monday.
The children’s mother, who was identified in local reports only as Cat, described learning of Phillips’ death as bringing a "wave of complex emotions" and said the family was "deeply relieved" to have the children back. She asked for privacy as the children transition into care and begin reintegration into a stable environment.
Police said officers discovered a makeshift campsite and several quad bikes in the wilderness where the family had been living. Investigators are continuing to process the scenes in Piopio and the campsite and to interview witnesses. Authorities did not immediately release further details about the injured officer’s condition beyond saying he was taken to hospital for treatment.
The case attracted national attention in New Zealand after the children disappeared shortly before Christmas in 2021 amid a custody dispute. The lengthy search and repeated unconfirmed sightings made the disappearance one of the country’s most high-profile manhunts in recent years. Police thanked the public for information and assistance during the prolonged operation but said the investigation into the full circumstances of the family’s disappearance and the events leading up to Monday’s shooting remains ongoing.
