California Forest Service workers rescued after 15-hour kidnapping standoff

Father Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, were charged with kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service employees near Gumboot Lake Campground in the Shasta‑Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County, California. On July 16, the suspects approached the biologists, brandished an AR‑15‑style rifle, zip‑tied the workers' hands, and moved them to a remote trailer where they were held for about 15 hours. During negotiations the gunman claimed to have a grenade and used a victim’s phone to broadcast a hostage call.

Federal agents, including the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, negotiated the release of both workers early on July 17 without any shots fired. The suspects surrendered shortly thereafter and were later arraigned in federal court in Sacramento on charges of kidnapping a federal employee and aiding and abetting.