Key facts
- Two US Forest Service employees were held hostage for over 12 hours in Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
- The incident began Thursday morning when a USFS law enforcement officer reported the employees restrained and held at gunpoint.
- Suspect Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, was armed with an AR-15 and knives.
- Negotiations began around 4 p.m. Thursday, and the hostages were released after 2 a.m. Friday.
- Joseph Charles Henrichsen and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, were arrested and will face federal kidnapping charges.
Two US Forest Service employees were released early Friday morning after being held hostage for more than 12 hours in far northern California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Law enforcement arrested two men, Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, in connection with the incident.
The situation began Thursday morning when a USFS law enforcement officer reported that Henrichsen had the two employees restrained with zip ties and was holding them at gunpoint inside a trailer near Gumboot Lake. Henrichsen was reportedly armed with an AR-15 and knives and expressed a desire to speak with the FBI.
Authorities began negotiations around 4 p.m. Thursday. The hostages were ultimately released after 2 a.m. Friday. Both Henrichsens were taken into custody and will be charged with kidnapping a federal employee, according to US Attorney Eric Grant.
USFS Chief Tom Schultz expressed gratitude for the employees' safe return. The workers were reportedly abducted during routine fieldwork in a remote area. Authorities have not elaborated on the specific motivations behind the alleged kidnapping. Records indicate the father and son previously lived in Washington, and Joseph Charles Henrichsen had faced accusations of a hate crime in 2022, though that case was dismissed.