Piripiri School is closed while Te Anga Road is closed as police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of fugitive father Tom Phillips.

Photo: Googlemaps

Piripiri School is closed while Te Anga Road is closed as police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of fugitive father Tom Phillips.

A primary school within the police cordon around where Tom Phillips was shot on Monday is closed due to limited access for staff and students.

Piripiri School in the Waitomo District remains closed after the cordon was set up near the intersection of Te Anga and Waipuna roads early Monday morning after Phillips was shot.

The school said the closure of Te Anga Road means it can’t guarantee children and staff can reach the school.

Waitomo District Council said the road was likely to be closed for most of the day, while the police investigation continued.

Phillips had been missing with his primary school-aged children since December 2021, after first disappearing from Marokopa in the King Country for several weeks with them in September that same year, sparking a major manhunt.
The scene where the Police have put a cordon in place close to the spot on Te Anga Road where Tom Phillips was shot dead by Police.

Part of Te Anga Road in the valley between Marokopa and Waitomo remains closed. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii

He was shot and killed after opening fire a police constable who laid road spikes on Te Anga Road about 3.30am on Monday.

Police had been called regarding a burglary at PGG Wrightson in Piopio about 2.30am.

Phillips and one of the three missing children rode over the spikes on a quad bike after which the 38-year-old used a high-powered rifle to shoot a responding police officer in the shoulder and head.