FBI: Father, son held 2 federal biologists hostage for more than 15 hours

A father and son appeared before a federal judge on Monday, both of whom face charges of kidnapping two federal employees.

Joseph Henrichsen and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, are accused of kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service employees and holding them hostage for more than 15 hours in a trailer near Mount Shasta. The employees were eventually released unharmed, according to officials.

According to court documents, the employees, both women biologists, were conducting research on frog habitats in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in the vicinity of Gumboot Lake Campground when Joseph approached them carrying an AR-15-style assault rifle.

The criminal complaint alleges Joseph ordered them to turn around and put their hands in the air. He then zip-tied their wrists behind their backs and ordered them to walk to his trailer, according to court documents.

Court documents included a photo of the trailer where the father and son had been living. Investigators said this was the location where they held the Forest Service employees captive.

The sheriff’s office said Joseph told officials he had firearms and wanted to speak with the FBI.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies responded to the scene, deploying drones around 1:03 p.m. to assist in the effort to free the victims.

The hostages were released at 1:50 a.m. on Friday, more than 12 hours after the ordeal began. Around 2:30 a.m., Joseph Henrichsen surrendered and exited the trailer with his son, Phoenix Henrichsen.

Both men remain in custody and face charges of kidnapping a federal employee, said Eric Grant, an attorney for the Eastern District of California.

Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.