India, Sept. 8 -- A father who had been on the run with his three young children through New Zealand's remote wilderness for the past four years was shot dead Monday in a shootout with cops during an attempted burglary at a supply store, according to New York Post.

Tom Phillips disappeared into the Waikato wilderness with his children, Ember, now 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12, just before Christmas 2021 after a fight with their mother, who had sole custody. Nobody knew if the three children were alive until they were spotted by a group of pig hunters in October 2024. At the time, they were seen wearing masks and carrying hefty packs while Phillips guided them through the woods.

Police responded to a property in Piopio, part of the spra...