Missing children who had been living with their fugitive father in Waikato bushland since 2021 have been found safe and well.
Tom Phillips, of Marokopa, died after a shootout with police early this morning in the small town of Piopio after police were called to reports of a burglary.
An officer was shot in the head with a "high-powered rifle" during the incident and was flown to Waikato Hospital. Police said he has significant injuries to an eye and would need many operations.
For nearly four years Phillips lived in hiding, slipping in and out of sight across remote farmland and bush, while his children - Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and nine-year-old Ember - grew up with him in isolation from their friends, family and community.
Acting Deputy Commissioner for Northern Districts, Jill Rogers, told media the other two were found safe and well at a campsite not far from the main road leading to Marokopa about 4.30pm today.
They were by themselves and have been cooperating with police.
"I can confirm that the children are well and uninjured, and they will be taken to a location this evening for medical checks."
Rogers said there was still a "significant amount" of work to do, "but we are grateful to see an end to what has been three years of torment for the children’s family".
Police's Special Tactics Group and Armed Offenders Squad were among about 50 staff deployed in the search for the children today.
Phillips' sister, Rozzi Phillips, earlier confirmed to RNZ that her brother was involved and had died. Phillips' father declined to comment.
The children's mother, Cat, said news of the death has brought a "wave of complex emotions".
"First and foremost, we are deeply relieved that for our tamariki this ordeal has come to an end. [The children] have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care.
"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," she told the Mata programme.
Cat expressed aroha to the officer injured.
Constable injured 'multiple times'
Police received a call about 2.30am today from a member of the public who believed they were witnessing a burglary in action at a rural farm supply store in Piopio.
They told police it involved two people on a quad bike dressed in farm clothing and wearing headlamps.
"Knowing the information that we'd previously had that seen Tom Phillips also in this area, additional staff were called out and responded to that location," Rogers told media.
The quad bike was seen traveling along Waipuna Rd, a rural gravel road that intersects with Te Anga Rd, which was the main road that led back to Marokopa.
At 3.20am, officers laid spikes at that intersection and the quad bike had run over these. Phillips and one of his children were on the bike at the time. The vehicle came to a rest a short time later.
"The first attending police officer at the scene has come across that stopped quad bike and been confronted by gun fire at close range. Our officer has been struck in the head, he's immediately fallen to the ground and taken cover," Rogers said.
"Soon after, a second patrol unit arrived and engaged the offender and he has died at the scene."
The officer was flown to Waikato Hospital by a Westpac Rescue helicopter. Rogers said the constable was injured "multiple times" and suffered significant injuries to an eye that would require many surgeries. He had undergone two operations today.
"His family and his nearest are with him and he's being well supported, as is his family."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it had been a "sombre" day and his thoughts were with the officer and the children.
"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."
In a statement, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said: “This is a result of incredible work by police who had to contend with a high-risk situation and difficult circumstances both earlier this morning and throughout the day.
"I want to acknowledge our colleague who was shot and faces a long recovery."
'The outcome nobody wanted'
"This has been a deeply traumatic incident this morning for those involved. It has been confronting and challenging in a small, rural, isolated location, Rogers said.
She said there were "multiple firearms" on the quad bike and the constable was shot with a "high-powered rifle".
The situation was devastating for "Tom Phillips, his family as well, and is the outcome that nobody wanted."
Asked how the officer knew to lay spikes at the intersection, Rogers called it "officer intuition".
"It's a long gravel road. I think it's approximately 30km through there, knowing that if he was heading back to the Marokopa area, that that would be his route of choice. And that appears to be what has unfolded this morning."
"It's not the outcome we wanted... Social services are working with police and are on standby to support them, and this morning's events are not how anyone would have wanted this to end... police are naturally devastated by what's happened to their colleagues but right now they are getting on with the job."
A critical incident investigation was under way and the Independent Police Conduct Authority had also been notified.
PGG Wrightson in Piopio confirmed a burglary happened at its store. Chief executive Stephen Guerin told RNZ a person broke in at 3.30am. No staff were inside at the time. He said police had full control of the scene and no staff were allowed inside.
Family were missing since 2021
Tom Phillips and his children first went missing in September 2021. They were found later that month, and it appeared that they had gone camping. Then, a few months later on December 20, they disappeared again from Marokopa.
At the time, the children and father were living at Phillips' parents farm in Marokopa. Jayda was eight, Maverick was seven and Ember was five.
A custody dispute in the Family Court was ongoing - the children's parents had separated, and Phillips was home schooling them at the family farm.
He was facing a raft of charges, including aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawful possession of a firearm.
There had been repeated calls from the family for Phillips to come forward. Police have long said they believed he was being assisted.
Police released footage of a burglary in Piopio on August 27 this year. They said the footage was believed to show Phillips and one of his children.
The owner of the store earlier said the only thing taken during the break-in was milk, despite butter and vegetables both being on display.
The two people used an angle grinder to cut the padlock on his chiller out the back of his store, he said.
- Reporting by RNZ and Allied Media
