Two forest workers rescued after 12-hour hostage ordeal in California
Two U.S. Forest Service employees were freed after more than 12 hours of captivity in Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and the suspect and his son were arrested on kidnapping charges.
Two U.S. Forest Service employees were released early Friday after being held hostage for over 12 hours in the remote Shasta-Trinity National Forest, officials said. The incident began Thursday before 11 a.m. when a Forest Service law-enforcement officer reported that a man had restrained the workers with zip ties and was pointing a gun at them inside a trailer near Gumboot Lake. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Joseph Charles Henrichsen, was armed with an AR-15 rifle and knives and reportedly wanted to speak with the FBI.
A large multi-agency response involving local sheriff’s offices, police departments and the FBI was launched, and negotiations began around 4 p.m. The hostages were freed after 2 a.m. on Friday, and officers escorted Henrichsen and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, out of the trailer. Both were charged with kidnapping a federal employee, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
"I’m grateful beyond words that both of our Forest Service employees taken hostage on the Shasta-Trinity national forest are home safe," Forest Service chief Tom Schultz said in a statement.
Authorities did not disclose details of the negotiations or Henrichsen’s motives. The workers were conducting routine fieldwork when abducted. The sheriff’s office had no prior contact with Henrichsen, who and his son previously lived in Washington.