Two US Forest Service employees were released early on Friday morning after being held hostage for more than 12 hours, authorities in far northern California said. The incident unfolded in the remote Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Gumboot Lake.
Arrests Made in Kidnapping of Federal Employees
Law enforcement officers arrested two men for the alleged kidnapping, identified as Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen. Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue confirmed the arrests during a press conference on Friday afternoon.
The ordeal began on Thursday before 11 a.m. when the sheriff's office received a call from a USFS law enforcement officer reporting that a man had restrained two employees with zip ties and was holding them at gunpoint inside a trailer. The suspect was later identified as Henrichsen.
Massive Law Enforcement Response
The call triggered a large-scale response from multiple agencies, including local sheriff's offices, police departments, and the FBI. Officials stated that Henrichsen was armed with an AR-15 rifle and knives and demanded to speak with the FBI. Negotiations began around 4 p.m. on Thursday.
After more than 12 hours, the hostages were released shortly after 2 a.m. on Friday. Law enforcement persuaded both Henrichsen and his son to exit the trailer peacefully. Both men will face charges of kidnapping a federal employee, according to Eric Grant, the U.S. attorney for the area.
Forest Service Chief Expresses Gratitude
“I’m grateful beyond words that both of our Forest Service employees taken hostage on the Shasta-Trinity national forest are home safe,” said Tom Schultz, the USFS chief, in a statement. Authorities did not elaborate on the negotiations or Henrichsen's alleged motives. The workers were abducted while conducting routine fieldwork in the remote area.
Sheriff LaRue noted that his office had no prior interactions with Henrichsen. Newspaper articles and social media indicate that the father and son previously lived in Washington state. In 2022, the Bellingham Herald reported that Joseph Charles Henrichsen had been accused of a hate crime for allegedly harassing his landlords. A judge ruled him incompetent to stand trial, but the case was dismissed due to delays in admitting him to a state hospital.
