Children and their father swimming years ago, New Zealand police shooting incident involving the father - Ilsa vanished years ago, taking his children with him.
In a dramatic turn of events in New Zealand, police have apprehended Tom Phillips, a man who had been on the run with his three children since December 2021. The children, aged nine, ten, and twelve, were found safe in a hiding place in the woods.
The saga began when Phillips was accused of several crimes, including aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, and illegal possession of a firearm. Footage released by the police showed two hooded individuals with headlamps in front of a business, allegedly stealing food from a refrigerated container and fleeing on a quad bike.
The police believe that Phillips had several helpers who supplied him and the children with food and hiding places. During the pursuit of the suspect, who fled on a quad bike, fatal shots were fired. The shootout occurred on Monday, with a police officer injured. The injured officer was flown to a hospital and operated on, according to Police President Jill Rogers. He was seriously injured but not in life-threatening condition.
The children have not attended school since the beginning of their flight. They were found by police officers after Phillips was shot and killed during a confrontation; the other two children were discovered nearby in a camp in the woods and then reunited with child protection services on the same day.
The family of Tom Phillips was last seen by wild pig hunters in October 2004. Half of the town of Marokopa, where Phillips' hideout was suspected, supported him, while the other half considered him a criminal. Lately, Phillips' support network seems to have collapsed, and he had to resort to increasingly risky thefts to survive.
The mother of the children, known as Cat, expressed relief at getting her children back. Police President Rogers stated that knowing the children are safe is a huge relief. The children have since been placed in the care of child protection services.
The police have also accused Phillips of shooting a police officer in the head and shoulder with a rifle during the shootout, according to Deputy Police President Jill Rogers. A second police unit then shot the suspect on a road near the town of Piopio.
On Monday morning, Tom Phillips and one of his children were reportedly filmed by a surveillance camera. The police were called to the scene of another break-in on Monday. The hideout of Tom Phillips was suspected in the town of Marokopa, on the North Island of New Zealand.
This concludes our report on the apprehension of Tom Phillips and the safe recovery of his children. The police continue their investigation into the matter.
