Man Shot Dead After 4 Years on the Run with His 3 Children

After vanishing into the New Zealand bush with his three children, Tom Phillips’s four-year-long flight from justice ended in gunfire, bloodshed, and a heartbreaking reunion. As police closed in, he opened fire in a violent confrontation that claimed his life, but his children, miraculously, survived.

Now, raw details are emerging in what’s become one of the most harrowing and emotional manhunts in New Zealand’s recent history — with family speaking out, forensics combing through a remote crime scene, and the nation asking: How did this happen?

Children Found Alive in Isolated Bush After Deadly Shootout

In an emotionally charged update, Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers delivered the news the country had been holding its breath to hear: Tom’s children — Ember, Maverick, and Jayda Phillips, aged 6, 7, and 8, respectively — are alive and unharmed.

The outstanding kids were discovered around 4:30 p.m., on Monday, September 8, 2025, just two kilometers from the site of the deadly confrontation, after police tracked the family into rugged, inaccessible terrain near Waitomo.

“This is an emotional development. To know the children are safe, and now receiving care after nearly four years, is an absolute relief [sic],” Jill announced in an official statement.

Police also confirmed the children were alone when they were found. “Every person involved in this case has had the welfare of the children at heart,” the statement continued. The bushland is now under strict lockdown as forensic teams work around the clock, scouring the area for clues in a meticulous investigation that’s expected to last for days.

Though safe, the children’s ordeal is far from over. “While they are safe, this is the start of a long journey of recovery and [sic] their welfare remains our top priority,” Jill stressed, urging the public to respect the children’s privacy and trauma.

In consideration of this, she made it clear that no additional information regarding their mental state or current whereabouts would be released.

At a follow-up press conference, Jill acknowledged the weight of the moment. “Today’s outcome is not the one that we wanted,” she expressed, emphasizing sorrow over the incident’s tragic end and concern for the officer who was injured during the police operation.

The officer was transported to Waikato Hospital, where they were undergoing surgery as of the latest update. Adding more detail to the case of the located children, Jill confirmed they had been cooperative and that officers were able to engage with them safely.

The area in which they were discovered was so treacherous that authorities revealed it took hours for specialized units to even reach the remote hideout on foot. Family members — including the children’s mother and Tom’s parents — were immediately notified of the children’s recovery.

But one haunting question remained unanswered: Have the children been told their father is dead? Jill admitted she did not have that detail at the time.

The Hideout: Mystery Deepens over Secret Camp in the Bush

Despite mounting questions about how and where the family had lived, police remained tight-lipped. The hideout was not connected to any official camping site, leaving speculation swirling.

Jill acknowledged that further investigative work was still ahead — including inquiries into potential individuals in the community who may have aided Tom during his time on the run.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, who had been in Melbourne at the time of the operation, was said to be returning to New Zealand immediately and planned to travel to Waikato first thing the following morning.

Contributing to the official statement, Richard credited the outcome to the “incredible work” of the officers involved, noting that they had operated under “high-risk” and emotionally charged conditions throughout the day.

A Family Vanishes: The Mysterious Disappearance That Shocked a Nation

The case began making headlines in late 2021, when Tom disappeared with his three children, prompting a massive land and sea search. Two weeks later, the family briefly reappeared — only to vanish again that December.

When Tom failed to appear in court the following January, a warrant for his arrest was issued. By May 2022, five long months had passed with no sighting of the family aside from Tom’s brief visit to a relative in February. Investigators believed someone was helping him live off-grid, even as public concern mounted — especially with winter approaching and no contact with the children.

The trail heated up again in August 2025, when police received a breakthrough tip: surveillance footage linked Tom and one of his children to a burglary at a Piopio store, a location Tom was believed to have previously targeted, though unsuccessfully, in late 2023, in the early a.m.

Crime Caught on Camera: Burglary Tied to Father on the Run

At around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, August 27, CCTV captured two masked individuals outside the store. “We believe the pair in this footage are Tom and one of his children,” Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders stated.

The pair had traveled by quadbike, stayed for roughly 13 minutes, and were seen loading containers before vanishing back into the night. Among the items stolen? Basic grocery supplies — a chilling reminder of the family’s struggle to survive off the land.

The sighting brought a renewed sense of urgency to the investigation and added to an already serious list of charges against Tom, which included aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, and unlawful possession of a firearm — charges that would never make it to court.

A Mother’s Letter and a Sister’s Plea: ‘Come Home’

That same month, Tom’s family broke their silence in a gut-wrenching televised interview, appearing on the premiere episode of “Paddy Gower Has Issues.” Rozzi Phillips, Tom’s sister, read aloud a letter addressed to Tom from their mother, Julia.

“Tom – I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this. Not considering how much we love you and can support you. It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you,” Julia penned.

“Jayda, Maverick, Ember – I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives. Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home,” she continued.

Rozzi echoed the call for reconciliation, speaking directly to her brother through the screen. “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,” she said. “You’re my friend, as well as my brother, and I love you, and it’s okay.”

Tom’s sister also spoke of her confidence in his abilities to care for his children in the wild, describing him as a capable bushman and builder — someone who would have ensured the kids stayed warm and safe.

Rozzi ended her message with words meant for Ember, Maverick, and Jayda, expressing, “I’m proud to be your auntie. I took a lot of joy in being a part of your lives. You’re important to me and our wider family and [sic] I’d love to see you again and know for myself that all is truly well in your world.”

Now What?

The children are safe. Their father is dead. But the questions remain — and the emotional scars will take years to heal.

Who helped Tom hide for so long? How did the children survive such brutal conditions? And will justice be served for the man who died with so many secrets still buried in the bush?