Two US Forest Service employees who were conducting routine fieldwork in California's remote Shasta-Trinity National Forest were rescued early Friday after being held hostage for more than 15 hours, CNN reported, citing US authorities.
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The suspects, identified as Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, allegedly abducted the employees at gunpoint near Gumboot Lake, restrained them with zip ties and took them to a trailer in the forest. The pair have been charged with kidnapping federal employees, federal prosecutors said.
Massive law enforcement response
The incident began shortly before 11 am on Thursday, when a Forest Service law enforcement officer alerted authorities that two employees had been kidnapped.
According to officials, one of the suspects used a victim's phone to call authorities, claiming he had "taken two fed (employees) hostage" and warning that he had "live rounds ready."
The call triggered a large-scale response involving the FBI, local sheriff's offices and other law enforcement agencies.
Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said authorities used drones to locate the trailer in the mountainous terrain before initiating contact with the suspects.
FBI negotiations lasted nearly 10 hours
Authorities said Joseph Henrichsen demanded to speak directly with the FBI and claimed to be armed with an AR-15-style rifle, knives and what he described as grenades.
Negotiations formally began around 4.20 pm Thursday and continued through the night. One hostage was released at approximately 1.50 am Friday, while the second was freed about 15 minutes later. The father and son surrendered peacefully to the FBI around 2.30 am, bringing the standoff to an end.
Sheriff LaRue described the resolution as one of the smoothest hostage negotiations he had witnessed in years.
Motive remains unclear
Officials said investigators have not yet determined why the suspects targeted the federal employees or why Joseph Henrichsen specifically wanted to speak with the FBI.
US Attorney Eric Grant said both men would face charges under the federal law covering the kidnapping of government employees. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
Forest Service chief praises rescue effort
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz expressed relief that both employees had been rescued safely.
"I'm grateful beyond words that both of our Forest Service employees taken hostage on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest are home safe," Schultz said in a statement.
He described the ordeal as frightening for the employees, their families and colleagues, and praised the coordinated efforts of Forest Service law enforcement officers, the FBI and local agencies that secured the hostages' safe release.
According to reports, Joseph Charles Henrichsen previously lived in Washington state. The Bellingham Herald reported in 2022 that he had been accused of a hate crime involving his landlords.
A judge later found him incompetent to stand trial, and the case was eventually dismissed after delays in securing treatment at a state hospital.
