Wellington, New Zealand — A person who evaded authorities together with his three youngsters within the distant New Zealand countryside for almost 4 years was shot and killed by a police officer Monday, regulation enforcement mentioned.
One youngster was with Tom Phillips on the time of the confrontation and the opposite two youngsters have been discovered within the forest hours after the shootout, during which an officer was critically injured.
The December 2021 disappearance of Phillips and his youngsters – now about 9, 10 and 11 years previous – confounded investigators for years as they scoured the densely forested space the place they believed the household was hiding. The daddy and youngsters weren’t believed to ever have traveled removed from the remoted North Island rural settlement of Marokopa the place they lived, and credible sightings of them have been uncommon.
Phillips hasn’t been formally recognized, however authorities imagine he was the person killed.
DJ MILLS / AFP through Getty Photos
A police officer was shot within the head and critically injured throughout a confrontation with Phillips after he robbed an agricultural provides retailer early Monday morning, New Zealand’s Performing Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers informed reporters within the metropolis of Hamilton. The kid with Phillips on the time of the theft was taken into custody.
The officer was present process surgical procedure at a hospital. His accidents have been survivable, Rogers mentioned, however he was shot “a number of instances with a high-powered rifle” and extra surgical procedures have been anticipated.
The whereabouts of Phillips’ different two youngsters have been unknown instantly after the taking pictures and authorities had severe issues for them, Rogers mentioned earlier.
About 13 hours after their father was killed, nonetheless, Rogers informed reporters that the youngsters had been discovered unaccompanied at a distant campsite in a rugged forest. The kid taken into custody Monday had cooperated with the authorities, enabling them to slim the search space, she mentioned.
The farm provides retailer focused Monday was in a small city in the identical sprawling farming area of Waikato, south of Auckland, because the settlement of about 40 individuals the household had vanished from.
DJ MILLS / AFP through Getty Photos 
Tom Phillips saga captivated New Zealand
The case has fascinated New Zealanders and the authorities made common unsuccessful appeals for info.
Sightings of Phillips have been restricted to surveillance footage that confirmed him allegedly committing crimes within the space. He was wished for an armed financial institution theft in Could 2023, accompanied by one in every of his youngsters, during which he reportedly shot at a member of the general public.
Phillips did not have authorized custody rights for his youngsters, Detective Senior Sgt. Andrew Saunders informed reporters in 2024. When Phillips and the youngsters vanished, police mentioned was over a custody battle. Authorities have mentioned the youngsters hadn’t had entry to formal schooling or well being care since their disappearance.
Legislation enforcement at all times believed that Phillips assist concealing his household, and a few residents of the remoted rural space expressed help for him. A reward of 80,000 New Zealand {dollars} ($47,000), giant by New Zealand requirements, was supplied for details about the household’s whereabouts final June however was by no means paid.
December 2021 wasn’t the primary time Phillips prompted nationwide information headlines after disappearing together with his youngsters. The household went lacking that September, launching a three-week land and sea search after Phillips’ truck was discovered deserted on a wild seashore close to the place he lived.
Authorities finally ended the search, concluding the household might need died, earlier than Phillips and the youngsters emerged from dense forest the place he mentioned that they had been tenting. He was charged with losing police assets and was as a result of seem in court docket in January 2022, however weeks earlier than the scheduled date, he and the youngsters vanished once more.
Police did not instantly launch a search as a result of Phillips, who’s skilled within the outside, had informed household he was taking the youngsters on one other journey. He by no means returned.
The search intensified once more after a number of sightings of Phillips in 2023 in the identical area the place he had vanished.
Phillips and his youngsters have been noticed in October 2024 when a gaggle of teenage pig hunters noticed them trekking by means of the bush and filmed the encounter on their telephones.
He was additionally seen on surveillance video final month as he robbed a grocery retailer within the night time, accompanied by one in every of his youngsters.
The youngsters’s mom issued an announcement to Radio New Zealand on Monday during which she mentioned she was “deeply relieved” that the “ordeal” for her youngsters had ended.
“They’ve been dearly missed day by day for almost 4 years, and we’re trying ahead to welcoming them residence with love and care,” mentioned the lady, who has been recognized in New Zealand information retailers solely by her first identify, Cat.
Phillips’ household had beforehand appealed to Phillips to show himself in and return the youngsters.
“There’s numerous love and there is numerous help, and we’re prepared that will help you stroll by means of what it is advisable to stroll by means of,” his sister, Rozzi Phillips, informed New Zealand information website Stuff in an unique interview final month.
