Teenage Son of Capitol Rioter Testifies Against His Father in First January 6 Case to Go to Trial

In the 14 months since a mob of pro-Trump extremists stormed the United States Capitol in a deadly failed insurrection, hundreds of the participants have since been arrested on charges ranging from misdemeanors all the way to seditious conspiracy.

The former President's long-debunked conspiracy theories about the validity of the 2020 election and his years-long disinformation campaign painting members of the press and any other critics as traitors to the United States drove his supporters to do the unthinkable in his defense. They shattered windows, ransacked offices, beat police officers, and threatened to kill any lawmaker they perceived as disloyal to then-President Donald Trump.

Now, the first Capitol rioter case to go to trial is underway.

Guy Reffitt is charged with multiple felonies for his role in the failed insurrection, with the prosecution claiming he carried a loaded pistol into the Capitol amid the chaos. Now his teenage son has testified against him.

Reffitt is allegedly part of the Three Percenters militia, an loosely organized group predicated on the belief that a small number of so-called patriots can overthrow the government over what they perceive as tyranny.

His son, 19 year old Jackson Reffitt, was alarmed by his father's increasingly extremist rhetoric in the aftermath of the November 2020 election. After Guy Reffitt informed his son he'd be going to D.C. and that "What's about to happen will shock the world," Jackson sent a tip to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Christmas.

It wasn't until after the January 6 attack, which the Reffitt family (minus Guy) watched unfold on television, that Jackson was contacted by the FBI. He secretly recorded his father after his return to Texas. Guy bragged that he'd never felt more patriotic. Jackson Reffitt was kicked out of the house after his family learned of the recording. He's since raised hundreds of thousands on a GoFundMe after a CNN appearance last year detailing his experience.

Guy also allegedly threatened to shoot Jackson and his sister for being "traitors."

But Thursday trial was a much more regretful scene. Guy, according to a CBS reporter watching the trial, broke down crying as his son entered the courtroom to testify. Guy's wife, Jodi Reffitt, was "clearly distraught" as well, according to a senior affairs reporter at Politico.

In addition to providing the recording, Jackson also identified various Three Percenters memorabilia around his father's house.

The scene, while sad, led social media users to praise Jackson's willingness to testify.

Meanwhile, people weren't exactly sympathetic for Guy.

What a mess.