Wild one from NZ - tl;dr is that dude took his kids almost 4 years ago to live in the bush after disappearing with them once before, handful of burglary-related sightings since then, got caught post-burglary a couple nights ago, shot a cop in the head (lived), then shot and killed by another cop. All 3 kids safe and sound.
Lots of apparent nuance in that people were helping him stay hidden, believed he was “doing the right thing,” etc. Tragic end in that the kids are now without a dad and who knows what it’ll take to reintegrate them into society, but honestly, I had minimal expectation that it’d end with everyone alive.
We visited that area several times. It is vast dense rough terrain and there is no way he didn’t have outside assistance. His bank accounts were frozen as soon as he kidnapped the children so to accumulate so much equipment is impossible without funds or help.
He may have resorted to stealing for food and minor supplies but to have 2 quad bikes, generators and industrial equipment is bizarre. His petrol couldn’t have been stolen he would have had to pay or someone supplied him.
His kids lives are ruined. There are insinuations of incest but whether they are true is unkown. He killed animals in front of them and his eldest daughter witnessed him shooting a police officer and her father being shot dead.
The truly bizarre fact is the police are saying they know he has been in that area for the whole 4 years. If saving the kids was a priority why didn’t they fly a drone over at night with heat seeking camera’s.
