An 18-year-old who called the FBI to turn his father following his participation in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 told CNN's Chris Cuomo on Friday that it was the right thing to do and he would do it again.
Jackson Reffitt spoke to the CNN host regarding his decision to call the authorities to turn his father, Guy Reffitt, for his participation in the riot.
"I don't really know how to explain it. It was just, it just felt like the right thing regardless of my emotions and how I felt and how much I loved my family and my dad. I was worried," the teen told Cuomo during the emotional interview, adding that he did not think that his father would do anything bad.
"But him saying anything even remotely threatening to me and my sister and my family and government officials, it was just too much," said Reffitt.
The Man in Charge Manipulated Him
The teen said that over the past four years his father became extremely involved with conspiracy theories and militia groups. Reffitt also said that he did not know his father was going to DC until the day he left.
He did not take the name of former President Donald Trump but he said, "Obviously the man in charge at the time, I feel like, just really manipulated him into thinking what he is thinking now."
"I'm obviously not sure about that, but I can't know for sure. That's the only thing I can blame this — the politics he follows and idolizes," he added.
Reffitt said his father thought what he was doing was right but, in reality, it was wrong for him, as well as for his family and the country. "I hope he realizes that soon enough. And if I could say to him right now, I would want to say I'm sorry what I've done, but I did think it was right as well," the teen continued.
When Cuomo asked whether he would take the same decision or not, the teen said, "Yeah. I'd definitely do it again."
The riot took place on the day when the election certification process was taking place to confirm President Joe Biden's victory. It caused the death of five people including a police officer.
