Independent Police Conduct Authority finds police justified in shooting fugitive Tom Phillips

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found the police were justified in shooting dead the fugitive Tom Phillips.

Phillips had been on the run for almost four years when he was spotted trying to break into a warehouse in the small Waikato town of Piopio in the early hours of 8 September last year.

He was chased by police officers who spiked his quad bike.

Phillips pointed a rifle at one of the officers and shot him twice, leaving him with head injuries.

He fired at another police officer before one of the officers shot him dead.

The officer told the Authority he did not have time to give a warning.

The Authority found the officer was justified in shooting Phillips dead in self defence.

They found while there were short comings with the emergency communications centre shift commander, overall, the officers actions on the ground were commendable.

More to come...