A four-year manhunt in New Zealand’s remote wilderness came to a violent and tragic conclusion early Monday when fugitive father Tom Phillips was killed in a shootout with police during a burglary attempt.
Phillips, who had been on the run with his three children since 2021, opened fire on officers after being intercepted while fleeing a rural supply store in the Waikato region. Phillips’ disappearance with his kids was one of the most intriguing missing cases in the region. While his death does bring a definitive end to the case, questions about his children, especially the two who are still missing, remain unanswered.
Phillips first disappeared in December 2021, just days before Christmas, with his three children, Jayda, then 8, Maverick, 6, and Ember, 5, following a dispute with their mother, known only as Cat, who had sole custody. For years, both authorities and the children’s mother feared for their safety, with no confirmation they were alive.
It was not until October 2024 that a group of pig hunters spotted Phillips and the children moving through the wilderness. Witnesses described them as masked, heavily laden with packs, and clearly adapted to survival in the bush.
This news naturally brought forth the possibility of the kids being found, but unfortunately Phillips could not be captured then.
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The fatal confrontation unfolded around 2:30 a.m. on Monday after reports came in of a burglary at a farm supply store in Piopio, a rural part of the Waikato where Phillips was believed to be hiding. Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers explained that police received information describing “two people on a quad bike, dressed in farm clothing and wearing headlamps.”
This matched Phillips’ past activity, as he had previously been reported stealing quad bikes, camping supplies, and equipment essential for a life off the grid. When police moved to intercept, they laid down spikes on a nearby road, forcing the quad bike to a halt.
Rogers stated, “The driver pivoted and opened fire at close range,” leading to a shootout in which Phillips was fatally shot. Officers attempted first aid, but Rogers later confirmed, “It was too late.”
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During the exchange, one officer was seriously wounded, struck in both the head and shoulder. The officer was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery and remains in critical condition. At the scene, police also found one of Phillips’ three children, along with a cache of firearms.
Authorities have not disclosed which child was present, but they stressed that the young one is now receiving professional care. “The child at the scene is being provided wraparound support, and we will not be providing comment on their location at this early time,” Rogers noted.
For Cat, the children’s mother, the development brought mixed feelings. In a statement released through RNZ, she expressed both sadness and relief: “Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved. They have endured a long and difficult journey, and we ask for privacy as we help them adjust and reintegrate into a stable and loving environment.”
If you want to think Tom Phillips was a hero for hiding his three children in the bush for four years, good for you.
I don’t.
He tried to murder a cop this morning and got what was coming.
I hope his kids resume normal lives, but it will be tough.
That’s on him. pic.twitter.com/i0ZLt0YBiO
— Lawrence Hakiwai (Father/of two) (@SonofOmahu) September 8, 2025
Although she said she was “saddened by how events had unfolded,” she also acknowledged that she is now one step closer to being reunited with her children.
Deputy Commissioner Rogers described Monday’s events as deeply distressing for officers and the local community. “This has been a deeply traumatic incident this morning for those involved. It has been confronting and challenging in a small, rural, isolated location,” she said.
With Phillips gone, attention has fully shifted to the children’s welfare. One is safe and recovering from the ordeal, but two remain somewhere in the wilderness, uncertain and out of reach. It now remains to be seen how quickly the authorities will locate those two missing children and provide them the care and support they need.
