One man has died and a police officer remains in a serious condition following an early morning incident in Waikato that has been linked by legacy media to Tom Phillips.
Police were called to a Waitomo commercial property around 2.30am after reports of a burglary. During the response, both a man and a police officer were shot. Despite receiving immediate first aid, the man died at the scene, while the injured officer was taken to hospital where he remains under intensive care.
Authorities are investigating whether the fatal confrontation is connected to a ram-raid in Piopio shortly beforehand, which has been attributed to Phillips, who has been on the run with his three children since 2021. Police have confirmed that a second individual is in custody in relation to the incident.
A large-scale police operation is currently under way across the region, with cordons in place to ensure public safety. Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers has travelled to Waikato and is expected to brief the media at 11am, with the update to be livestreamed.
Police are urging the public and media to respect the ongoing operation as they work to piece together the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
Apparently the cop was shot (accidentally) by another cop? Is this a fact? Was Phillips armed?
Bit late now but…
https://matuakahurangi.com/p/time-for-bodycams