camp

The campsite where Tom Phillips and his children were holed up.
Photo: NZ police

One of Tom Phillips’ children was armed with a gun when police approached the camp, RNZ understands.

Tom Phillips died following a shootout with police in the early hours of Monday. A police officer was shot multiple times in the head and remains in hospital with significant injuries.

One of Phillips’ children, who was with him at the time, then began assisting police and said there were firearms at the campsite.

More than 12 hours later on Monday, the remaining children were located in a remote campsite, deep in dense bush about 2km away from where Phillips was fatally shot.

Police earlier said multiple guns were recovered from the quad bike and camp site.

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