A New Zealand dad on the run in the bush for four years with his three young children is believed to have been killed in an encounter with police, and one of the children was rescued, authorities said.

Fugitive father Tom Phillips had been hiding with his three children in the Waikato bushland of New Zealand's Upper North Island since December 2021. The children are Ember, 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12.

A police officer was shot in the head and seriously wounded in the incident.

Why It Matters

Phillips had taken the children from their family home following a custody dispute, according to police.

Authorities believed the family had been living in the western Waikato region and had offered a reward for information leading to their location.

What To Know

Police went to investigate

See Full Page