An expedition to study frog habitats in Northern California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest was cut short last week, with a father-son duo accused of taking two federal biologists hostage.
The pair, identified as Joseph Charles Henrichsen and his adult son Phoenix Henrichsen, have been charged with kidnapping two US forest service researchers at gunpoint, NBC reports.
Using a semi-automatic rifle, the Henrichsens are alleged to have kidnapped the biologists on the morning of Thursday, July 16. The as-yet-unidentified researchers were reportedly zip-tied and held in a remote camper-trailer, while Joseph Henrichsen used a phone belonging to one of the biologists to contact authorities.
“I’ve taken two fed biologists hostage from the Forest Service,” the senior Henrichsen allegedly said in a message, per an affidavit filed a week after the incident. “I’m driving in the ranger vehicle right now.”
