The police officer shot by fugitive Tom Phillips has been discharged from hospital.
He was the first officer to reach Phillips, who had been attempting to flee police on a quad bike during the early hours of September 8.
The bike had been spiked and was stopped on the side of the road.
As he got out of his car, the officer was shot with a “high-powered rifle” at close range and was struck in the head and shoulder. A second patrol unit arrived and engaged Phillips, who died at the scene.
The injured officer required “numerous surgeries”. Today, police said the officer had been discharged from hospital, and was “progressing” with his recovery.
Phillips’ death followed a nearly four-year-long manhunt for the fugitive and his three children, who disappeared into the dense Marokopa bush because of a custody dispute.
The children were still under the guardianship of the Family Court, with Oranga Tamariki serving as the court’s agent.
The critical incident investigation into the shootout remained ongoing.
Investigators were also examining the possibility that Phillips received outside help and were “following strong lines of inquiry”.
‘Never stopped trying’
Police have revealed new information about the manhunt, with Detective Superintendent Ross McKay saying those looking “never stopped trying”.
“The vast area in which Phillips kept the children is difficult, steep terrain almost completely obscured from all angles by dense bush.
“At various times during the operation, Police specialist units such as special tactics group, armed offenders squad, search and rescue and tactical operations group were used.
“There was also support from the New Zealand Defence Force, with helicopter and ground assets.”
He said some of the resources used by police included geospatial imagery, thermal imagery, covert technology such as motion-activated cameras, and Airbus Flexrotor drones.
A group of pig hunters spotted the fugitive father and kids. (Source: Supplied)
“The drones, supplied and operated by Airbus, flew for 111 hours over a period of two weeks in April this year.”
McKay said that at times, Phillips and the children were detected in transit, “but never in circumstances that allowed Police to safely intervene”.
Police knew Phillips had guns and was motivated to use them.
“We also knew, based on previous actions and behavioural science analysis, that Phillips was unlikely to surrender easily and was prepared to put the children in harm’s way.
“The primary objective was locating and returning the children safely.”
McKay said police were focused on two key objectives – finding a campsite or a supply route.
“The family regularly moved around and adapted their behaviour, meaning no sites were found.”
The fugitive father was shot and killed by police in Waikato. (Source: 1News)
He said that because several other investigations into the Tom Phillips saga remained ongoing, police were limited in the details they could provide.
“I hope the information released today provides some reassurance about the lengths Police and its partner agencies went to in order to resolve this complex situation, as well as some clarity on the difficulties faced in achieving that safely.”
