New photos show one of the makeshift camps where a father-of-three hid with his children before he was shot by police on Monday.
Tom Phillips had been on the run for nearly four years, having vanished with his two daughters and son – believed to be aged 9, 10, and 12 – on New Zealand’s North Island in December 2021.
Police on Monday confirmed Phillips had been shot dead during a confrontation, which also saw one officer shot in the head and critically injured.
They have now released photographs of one of the campsites where Phillips and his children were hiding in the Waikato region.
The woodland camp – found thanks to information from one of the children – is around 2km from where Phillips died, New Zealand Police said.
The images show a quad bike and discarded soft drink cans at the site. Officers also located several firearms in the area where Phillips was camping, the force added.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers said: “Investigation staff are going over the areas where the family had been staying, and have been speaking with farmers, locals, and workers in the area.
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“That work is to help us build an accurate picture of the movements of Tom Phillips and the children.”
Forensic staff are also at the site to gather evidence.
Children in the care of NZ government
Ms Rogers also shared an update on the welfare of Phillips’ three children.
She said: “Our staff described the children as being engaged and they readily spoke with our staff, who provided them with snacks and drinks while they waited to be brought out of the campsite.
“While they are now in the care of Oranga Tamariki [the NZ Ministry for Children], we will continue to work closely with the children, taking the time and sensitivity that is needed after the ordeal they have been through.”
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The officer who was injured “has a long road to recovery”, the force said.
“We will be there to support him and his whanau [family] at every step,” they added.
“He is a dedicated and caring constable and represents the best of what it means to be a rural police officer.”
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Numerous unsuccessful appeals were made for information on Phillips over the years.
Sporadic surveillance footage showed him allegedly committing crimes – but there were very few in-person or concrete sightings.
He did not have legal custody rights for his children, a detective told reporters in 2024.
