AUCKLAND — A fugitive father who had been hiding along with his three youngsters within the dense New Zealand wilderness was shot lifeless in an armed confrontation with police on Monday, resulting in his three youngsters being positioned within the custody of police, ending a close to four-year seek for the household.
Thomas Phillips and his youngsters – believed to be ages 9, 10 and 12 – had been evading police in a distant a part of the nation’s North Island since December 2021, triggering a manhunt that gripped the nation.
Phillips’ time on the run ended within the early hours of Monday when police responded to a break-in at a farm store in a tiny rural city and gave chase.
A police officer was wounded within the confrontation after being shot within the head at shut vary with a high-powered rifle, police stated.
One of many youngsters was discovered with Phillips. Following an enormous and pressing search operation involving helicopters, police introduced the opposite two youngsters had been situated, later Monday, on their very own at a distant campsite within the dense bush close to the tiny rural city of Marokopa, on the rugged west coast of New Zealand’s Waikato area.
“They’re with law enforcement officials now, and are being faraway from that location,” Appearing Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers advised reporters Monday afternoon.
“I can affirm that the kids are effectively and unhurt, and they are going to be taken to a location this night for medical checks,” stated stated.
Phillips first vanished along with his youngsters – Jayda, Maverick and Ember – in September 2021, kicking off an enormous search of land and sea.
They reappeared at a close-by farm belonging to Phillips’ household weeks later. However after Phillips was charged with losing police time, he and the kids vanished once more in December that 12 months.
Police imagine they had been residing off-grid, with the daddy utilizing his survival abilities to feed, shelter and dress his youngsters, however regardless of a number of sightings, appeals for assist, and a police search, the household’s location had remained a thriller. Every new sighting made international headlines.
Early Monday native time police had been known as to stories of a break-in at a farming items retailer within the Piopio, a city of lower than 500 folks within the western Waikato area close to the place Phillips is believed to have been hiding out.
A four-wheeled farm bike with two folks on it was noticed leaving the city on a gravel street and police gave chase. Street spikes had been arrange close to at an intersection about 30 kilometers down the gravel street.
“The quad bike has run over the spikes. The 2 occupants have been on that bike, and it has come to a relaxation on this rural street. A short while later, the primary attending police officer at that scene has come throughout that stopped quad bike and been confronted by gunfire at shut vary,” Rogers stated.
The officer was getting out of his police automotive when he was struck within the head and subsequently took cowl within the automotive. One other police officer arrived on the scene seconds later and shot on the man believed to be Phillips.
Whereas formal identification has but to taken place, Rogers advised reporters Monday: “We imagine him to be Tom Phillips.”
His sister, Rozzi Phillips, confirmed to CNN affiliate and public broadcaster RNZ that he had been killed.
Rogers confirmed one of many lacking youngsters, regarded as the opposite particular person on the farm bike, was situated on the scene.
A number of firearms had been situated on and across the quad bike whereas the wounded officer has been airlifted to Waikato Hospital to bear surgical procedure.
Rogers stated the officer had “important accidents” that might require a number of surgical procedures, however that police had been knowledgeable they had been “survivable.”
Police had repeatedly voiced their critical considerations for the kids Jayda, Maverick and Ember who’ve had no contact with their mom since December 2021.
“There are a selection of police employees who’re actively searching for the kids, which stays our primary precedence at this stage, to seek out these youngsters, alongside supporting our injured colleague and his (household),” stated Rogers.
The youngsters’s mom, generally known as Cat, stated she was “deeply relieved that for our (youngsters) this ordeal has come to an finish,” in an announcement to CNN affiliate RNZ on Monday morning.
“They’ve been dearly missed every single day for almost 4 years, and we’re trying ahead to welcoming them residence with love and care,” she stated
“On the similar time, we’re saddened by how occasions unfolded right this moment. Our hope has all the time been that the kids could possibly be returned in a peaceable and secure manner for everybody concerned.”
Simply two weeks in the past, legislation enforcement launched safety digital camera footage of what they believed to be Phillips and one of many youngsters concerned in an early morning break-in at a comfort retailer in the identical city as Monday’s taking pictures.
Final June police provided a reward of 80,000 New Zealand {dollars} ($52,000) for info resulting in their location and secure return.
Phillips’ sequence of alleged crimes consists of the armed theft of a financial institution in Could 2023, when two folks had been seen on a safety digital camera escaping on a bike with money.
Phillips already confronted a spread of fees together with aggravated theft, aggravated wounding, and illegal possession of a firearm. — CNN
