Fugitive dad who spent 4 years on the run with his 3 young kids shot dead during dramatic confrontation with police

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - A father who spent four years on the run with his three young children in New Zealand’s remote wilderness was shot dead in a shootout with police on Monday, September 8, during an attempted burglary at a rural supply store.

Tom Phillips disappeared into the Waikato wilderness just before Christmas 2021 after a dispute with the children’s mother, who had sole custody. His children — Ember, now 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12 — lived in hiding with him until this week’s dramatic confrontation.

The children’s existence in the wild came to light in October 2024, when pig hunters spotted them wearing masks and carrying heavy packs under Phillips’ guidance.

Police were called to Piopio in the Waikato region early Monday following reports of a burglary at a farm supply store. Officers intercepted a quad bike carrying stolen goods, and when it was forced off the road with spikes, the driver opened fire at close range.

Police returned fire, killing Phillips at the scene. An officer was critically injured after being shot in the head and shoulder but survived following emergency surgery.

Jayda, Phillips’ eldest daughter, was found at the scene alongside a cache of firearms. Information she provided led authorities to locate Ember and Maverick at a nearby campsite later in the day, ending their years-long disappearance.

“This has been a deeply traumatic incident,” Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers said. “It was confronting and challenging in a small, rural, isolated location.”

The children’s mother, known as Cat, said she was relieved her children had been found but heartbroken at how events unfolded.

“Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way,” she said in a statement. “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.”

Authorities had repeatedly struggled to capture Phillips due to the rugged terrain of the Waikato region. Despite rewards and sporadic sightings, he evaded capture until his final confrontation.