Federal Kidnapping Standoff in Shasta-Trinity National Forest
- A father and son face federal charges after allegedly holding two U.S. Forest Service workers captive for 15 hours in a remote area near Mount Shasta.
- Law enforcement and crisis negotiators successfully intervened after the victims were discovered zip-tied and held at gunpoint with an AR-15 rifle and grenades.
A tense 15-hour standoff unfolded in the remote wilderness of Northern California this week after two U.S. Forest Service employees were taken hostage near the Gumboot Lake campground. Authorities identified the suspects as 49-year-old Joseph Charles Henrichsen and 23-year-old Phoenix Henrichsen.
The incident began on Thursday morning when the two Forest Service workers were conducting field operations in a secluded section of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. At approximately 10:55 a.m., law enforcement received a distress call reporting that the workers had been zip-tied and were being held inside a trailer at gunpoint. Reports indicate the suspects were armed with an AR-15 rifle and grenades, prompting a large-scale response from police and crisis negotiators from across the country.
The Henrichsens have been charged with kidnapping federal employees. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to secure the remote area and process the scene near Mount Shasta.
Sources & Notes:
- Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
- U.S. Forest Service official statement regarding field safety and employee welfare.
- Federal criminal complaint filed against Joseph and Phoenix Henrichsen.