One of New Zealand’s longest and most captivating manhunts has ended in bloodshed after fugitive father Tom Phillips was shot dead by police in a pre-dawn confrontation that left a constable fighting for his life in hospital.
Phillips, who had been on the run with his three young children Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, 9, for nearly four years in the rugged Waikato wilderness, was killed following an alleged ram raid at a rural farm supply store in Piopio at approximately 2:30am on Monday. The dramatic shootout unfolded when Phillips opened fire on responding officers with a high-powered rifle, shooting a constable multiple times in the head before being fatally shot by a second police unit.
All three children have been recovered safely, with one child who was with Phillips during the incident taken into custody immediately, whilst the remaining two were located at a remote bush campsite at 4:30pm following crucial information provided by their sibling.
The Final Confrontation
Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers revealed the timeline of the fatal encounter began when police received reports of a burglary at a PGG Wrightson store in the small farming town of Piopio. Phillips and one of his children were spotted fleeing on a quad bike, prompting a police pursuit along Te Anga Road, approximately 30 kilometres north of Piopio.
In what Rogers described as “officer intuition,” a constable deployed road spikes at the intersection of Waipuna Road and Te Anga Road, successfully disabling the vehicle. When the first officer approached the incapacitated quad bike, Phillips opened fire with what police described as a high-powered rifle.
“He was hit multiple times, including injuries to his eye,” Rogers told reporters at a press conference in Hamilton. “He immediately fell to the ground and took cover.”
The injured officer, whose identity has not been released, was airlifted to Waikato Hospital where he underwent the first of what medical staff expect will be multiple surgeries. Rogers confirmed the officer’s injuries were survivable but serious, noting he remained conscious and was speaking with fellow officers.
A second patrol unit arriving at the scene engaged Phillips, who was shot and killed. Multiple firearms were recovered from the quad bike, according to police.
Children Found Safe After Intensive Search
The child who was with Phillips during the confrontation was unharmed and immediately taken into Oranga Tamariki custody. Rogers praised the child’s cooperation, stating they had provided “crucial information” that enabled police to narrow their search area for the two missing siblings.
As temperatures plummeted towards freezing and daylight hours dwindled, specialist teams including the Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group scoured the rugged terrain around Marokopa. The remaining two children were discovered unaccompanied at a remote campsite in dense bush at approximately 4:30pm.
“They are well and uninjured,” Rogers confirmed. “They will be taken to a location this evening for medical checks.”
The children’s mother, known only as Cat, released a statement expressing both relief and sorrow at the day’s events. They have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care,” she said through Radio New Zealand. “At the same time, we are saddened by how events unfolded today. Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved.”
Four Years in Hiding
Phillips first captured national attention in September 2021 when he disappeared with his three children, sparking a massive land and sea search after his Toyota Hilux was discovered abandoned on Kiritehere Beach below the high-tide mark. The family emerged from dense forest 19 days later, with Phillips claiming they had been camping.
He was charged with wasting police resources but failed to appear at his scheduled court date in January 2022. Weeks before that appearance, on 9 December 2021, Phillips vanished again with the children from their Marokopa family farm, beginning what would become one of New Zealand’s most enduring missing persons cases.
Police believe the disappearance stemmed from a custody dispute with the children’s mother following their separation. Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Saunders confirmed in 2024 that Phillips did not have legal custody rights to the children, who had been homeschooled at the family farm before their disappearance.
The case intensified in May 2023 when Phillips allegedly robbed a bank in Te Kūiti whilst armed and accompanied by one of his children. He was also accused of shooting at a supermarket worker during the incident. A warrant for his arrest on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawful possession of a firearm was issued in September 2023.
Life in the Wilderness
Marokopa, with its population of fewer than 100 people, sits at the end of a winding road on the western Waikato coastline. The surrounding landscape of dense bush, rough coastline and extensive cave networks provided ideal terrain for someone with Phillips’ renowned bushcraft skills to remain hidden.
Multiple sightings over the years painted a picture of a family living on the margins. Phillips was captured on CCTV wearing disguises during alleged break-ins at rural stores, often accompanied by one of his children. The stolen items were typically basic supplies: milk, groceries and hardware materials.
The most significant sighting came in October 2024 when teenage pig hunters filmed the family trekking through farmland near Marokopa. The footage showed Phillips leading his three children in formation through rough terrain, all wearing camouflaged clothing and carrying heavy packs. Phillips was visibly armed with a rifle.
During the brief encounter, one of the children asked the hunters, “Who knows we’re here?” When told “only you,” the child simply kept walking, according to reports.
Community Assistance Suspected
Throughout the manhunt, police maintained Phillips was receiving assistance from sympathisers in the tight-knit rural community. “We know people know where he is,” police repeatedly stated during the investigation.
An $80,000 reward offered by police in June 2024, substantial by New Zealand standards, failed to produce the crucial tip-off. The reward came with an unprecedented offer of legal immunity for anyone assisting Phillips who came forward with information.
Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter consistently expressed frustration at the lack of cooperation, whilst acknowledging the complex loyalties within the small community where Phillips’ family had deep roots.
Family’s Desperate Pleas
In the months before his death, Phillips’ family had made increasingly desperate appeals for him to surrender. His sister Rozzi told media outlet Stuff just weeks ago: “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 mother Julia had written an emotional letter saying: “Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you all come home. It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you.”
The children’s mother Cat had released videos pleading for their return, particularly poignant on what would have been daughter Jayda’s 11th birthday. “They are just innocent children. They do not deserve to be treated this way,” she said in one emotional appeal.
National Reaction
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the outcome as “sad and absolutely tragic” during his weekly post-Cabinet briefing. “This is not what anybody wanted to happen today. I think that is a consistent feeling from everybody across New Zealand,” he said.
Luxon praised the injured officer, noting: “This is a constable who was out looking after his community and what’s happened is a reminder that police put themselves on the line every time, every day they put on that uniform.”
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, who was attending a funeral in Melbourne, announced he would return immediately to New Zealand. “I want to acknowledge our colleague who was shot and faces a long recovery,” he said in a statement.
Questions Remain
Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders, who led the investigation, called the outcome “devastating,” adding: “It’s not the outcome we wanted, but we’ve got one child out safely.”
The case raises profound questions about how Phillips managed to evade one of New Zealand’s most intensive manhunts for so long, surviving with three young children in harsh wilderness conditions through four winters. Police confirmed the children had received no formal education or healthcare during their time in hiding.
Rogers declined to specify which child had been with Phillips during the fatal confrontation or whether that child had been armed or fired any shots. She confirmed police were working with Oranga Tamariki to ensure appropriate care for all three children but would not comment on long-term custody arrangements.
As night fell on the small Waikato community, residents expressed mixed emotions. Marlene McIsaac, a Waitomo district resident, told 1News she wished there had been “a happier ending.” “For the kids, you know? The kids will be devastated,” she said.
The formal identification of Phillips’ body is still underway, though police expressed confidence the deceased was the fugitive father. The Independent Police Conduct Authority will investigate the shooting as is standard procedure in all fatal police shootings.
For a nation that had followed every development in the Phillips saga for nearly four years, the violent conclusion brings a mixture of relief that the children are safe and sadness at the tragic circumstances. As one resident noted, in a country where such manhunts make international headlines precisely because they’re so rare, this was an outcome nobody wanted.
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