A New Zealand dad on the run in the bush for four years with his three young children is believed to have been killed in an encounter with police, and one of the children was rescued, authorities said.
Fugitive father Tom Phillips had been hiding with his three children in the Waikato bushland of New Zealand’s Upper North Island since December 2021. The children are Ember, 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12.
A police officer was shot in the head and seriously wounded in the incident.
Why It Matters
Phillips had taken the children from their family home following a custody dispute, according to police.
Authorities believed the family had been living in the western Waikato region and had offered a reward for information leading to their location.
What To Know
Police went to investigate after an alarm at a remote property went off during a suspected burglary early on Monday and a man with a child on a quad bike tried to escape.
Authorities put down spikes on the road to stop the vehicle and the first police to approach it was “confronted by gunfire at close range,” and struck in the head, Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers told media.
“Soon after a second patrol unit arrived and has engaged the offender and he has died at the scene,” Rogers said.
“The formal identification of this male has yet to take place but we believe him to be Tom Philips.”
A child was located at the scene, and “multiple firearms” were recovered, she said.
“We are making urgent inquiries to locate Tom Phillips’ other children who we hold serious concerts for,” Rogers said, adding: “The child located at the scene has been provided wraparound support.
The mother of the three children told media she was “deeply relieved.”
A month ago, Phillips’ family had issued an appeal for him to turn himself in.
“There’s a lot of love and there’s a lot of support, and we’re ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through,” his sister, Rozzi Phillips, told New Zealand news site Stuff, in August.
“I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again.”
What People Are Saying
Deputy Police Commissioner Rogers said: “This is devastating news for Tom Phillips’ family and is the outcome that nobody wanted.”
What Happens Next
Police continue searching for the other two children.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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