2 kidnapped Forest Service workers safe after being zip-tied, held at gunpoint

Two U.S. Forest Service employees have been safely released after being kidnapped and held at gunpoint for over 12 hours in a rural Northern California trailer. Officials arrested two suspects, a father and his adult son, following a tense standoff.

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Mr. Henrichsen indicated that he had firearms, ammunition, and wanted to speak with the FBI.

The employees were abducted while conducting fieldwork in the Shasta Trinity National Forest on Thursday. Authorities were alerted when one of the suspects, Joseph Charles Henrichsen, contacted law enforcement, stating the employees were zip-tied and held at gunpoint. He also indicated he possessed firearms and wanted to speak with the FBI.

Multiple agencies, including the FBI, responded to the scene. Drones helped locate the trailer where the workers were held. SWAT teams, negotiators, a bomb squad, and snipers were deployed. Negotiations with Henrichsen and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, began late Thursday, with authorities attempting to resolve the situation peacefully.

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We attempted every effort to begin communicating with him to resolve the potential conflict.

The two employees were freed early Friday morning and were not seriously injured. Shortly after, the suspects emerged from the trailer and were taken into custody. At the time of his surrender, Charles Henrichsen was found with an AR-15 rifle and knives, and claimed to have grenades. Investigators have not yet established a motive for the kidnapping.

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at the time of their surrender, Charles Henrichsen had an AR-15 and knives, and claimed to have grenades.

The suspects will face federal charges for kidnapping a federal employee. Law enforcement officials noted that the remote location of the trailer presented significant challenges in responding to the incident due to difficult terrain and limited access.

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I've got to tell you folks, this is remote Northern California, out in a rural area where it's tough to get resources in and out, it's a small one-lane road.