Son Tipped Off F.B.I. About His Father, Who Is Charged in Capitol Riot

[Allan]

I'm interested in what people here think about what this young man did - tipped of the FBI that his father was planning 'something big'. This is the father who subsequently threatened his son's life if he turned him in.

Two days after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Jackson Reffitt’s father, Guy W. Reffitt, returned to the family’s home in Texas. He told his son that he had stormed the Capitol, according to an F.B.I. affidavit.

Then his father leveled a threat: If Jackson, 18, reported him to the police, he would have no choice but to do his “duty” for his country and “do what he had to do.”

In interviews with investigators, Jackson Reffitt said his father told him: “If you turn me in, you’re a traitor. And you know what happens to traitors. Traitors get shot.”

But he had already reported his father to the F.B.I. weeks before the riot.

Link

As of this morning supporters of Jackson Reffitt have donated $85,000 to a Gofundme account which he says he'll use for college.

 

[Chagos]

I'm interested in what people here think about what this young man did - tipped of the FBI that his father was planning 'something big'. This is the father who subsequently threatened his son's life if he turned him in.



Link

As of this morning supporters of Jackson Reffitt have donated $85,000 to a Gofundme account which he says he'll use for college.

Methinks that playing Corleone junior (aka Michael) requires discouragement.

Looks like the kid can save some tuition fees on civics.

But then I don't know the family, let alone its general internal machinations.

 

[holbritter]

Don't know how I feel about this, or the girl who turned in her mother after seeing her on video.

 

[Allan]

Don't know how I feel about this, or the girl who turned in her mother after seeing her on video.

Reminds me of school mass shootings - people ask "how did the parents/friends not know, and why didn't they say something?" Well this kid knew something bad was going to happen, and said something.

 

[americanwoman]

On the surface I didn't agree that the kid should have turned his own father in but reading more into it:

"Jackson Reffitt said his father told him: “If you turn me in, you’re a traitor. And you know what happens to traitors. Traitors get shot.”

That abusive threatening father deserves what he got.

 

[MamboDervish]

For all we know, the kid's actions saved his father's life - to say nothing of other lives.
Whatever he was planning might have gotten him killed.

 

[Allan]

The most surprising part of this story was that he thought his relationship with his father could eventually be repaired. It struck me as something a caring and forgiving person would hope for.