New Zealand fugitive's 10-year-old son 'pointed rifle at police' after cops discovered family hideout
Fresh details have emerged of the moment police found a remote campsite belonging to a 'Bushman' fugitive father and his three children.
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The son of on-the-run dad Tom Phillips was reportedly armed with a rifle when police discovered the family's remote campsite deep in the New Zealand forest.
Phillips had been on the run for four years with his three children, Ember, 9, Maverick, 10 and Jayda, 12.
Police found Phillips with his eldest child, Jayda, after a local sent a tip off that they saw the pair committing a robbery on a remote farm supply shop and Phillips was shot and killed on sight after a stand-off which involved a police officer being critically injured after Phillips opened fire.
Jayda subsequently helped police find the campsite and guided the police on the best way to talk to her two siblings, who were discovered in the campsite around 11 hours later.
Police commissioner Richard Chambers said that Jayda was "very, very helpful" in the discovery of the campsite as he said that they "information to say that a firearm was present" at the campsite.
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Sources told The New Zealand Herald that when police discovered the hideout, the boy was holding a rifle and the negotiators had to "persuade" the boy to "drop the gun".
Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Saunders commented: “There was a negotiation which commenced with the children, and that proceeded, and they came out."
The dad first disappeared in with his children in September 2021 for a brief period, and then again in January 2022 with this being their first appearance since.
On Tuesday, a press conference was held by police commissioner Richard Chambers where he said the campsite was in "deep bush, not an easily found location for anyone." Photos released show quad bikes, tyres and dirty tires on the site whilst police say they also found a stash of firearms and ammunition.
Mr Chambers said: “You had a father in Mr Phillips who had no regard for the safety of those children, a suspect who had taken his family into violent and dangerous offending on previous occasions.” The children are now in child protective custody.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said: "Our priority is to make sure these children are looked after and that there is a careful plan, with everyone becoming involved at the right time."
He continued: "They have seen and been exposed to things that children in our country should not be."
