The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has concluded that the officer who fatally shot Tom Phillips on Te Anga Road on 8 September 2025 was ‘legally justified’ in acting ‘in self-defence’.
Phillips, who had been sought by Police since disappearing with his children in December 2021, was considered armed and highly dangerous following suspected offending involving firearms. After a reported burglary in Piopio, officers tracked Phillips as he fled on a quad bike and successfully deployed road spikes. Phillips then shot Officer A twice, causing near-fatal injuries. When Officers C and D arrived seconds later, they saw Phillips pointing his rifle towards them, with Officer D believing he was about to be shot. Officer D fired five rounds, three of which struck Phillips. The IPCA found the force was proportionate to the imminent threat, and also ruled that the subsequent medical response and aftercare were appropriate.
However, the IPCA identified significant shortcomings in Police command and control during the operation. A specific Operation Curly response plan existed for any encounter with Phillips, but it had not been provided to the Police Communications Centre and frontline officers were unaware of it.
There was also confusion over who was acting as Incident Controller, with the Comms Shift Commander failing to take an active command role and frontline officers repeatedly seeking direction from an already heavily occupied District Command Centre supervisor. The IPCA found this caused delays and left officers without clear instructions, particularly after Phillips’ quad bike was spiked.
Police have accepted the findings and say additional command-and-control training and scenario exercises have since been introduced.
