Who is Guy Reffitt? Capitol rioter from Texas threatened to shoot his own children if they turned him in to FBI
There is no doubt that January 6, 2021, was a dark day for America. Rioters barged into the US Capitol building after being reportedly encouraged by Donald Trump. As the FBI now works on cracking down on right-wing extremists, shocking details have begun to emerge about the people or the "patriots", as Trump had referred them.
The latest in the line is Guy Reffitt, who reportedly threatened to shoot his own children if they turned him in, and called them "traitors". He is now the fourth North-Texan accused of being part of the mob that stormed the Capitol. Reffitt was arrested by the FBI over the weekend.
According to latest reports, the Capitol rioter from Texas has ties to a right-wing extremist group and threatened to shoot his own children if they told the FBI about his trip to Washington DC. His wife told an FBI agent that Reffitt told his son and daughter, "If you turn me in, you're a traitor and you know what happens to traitors... traitors get shot," he allegedly said to his kids. He also added that he went to the Capitol to "protect the country".
Links to militia extremist group
According to court papers filed in Washington, DC, the FBI tracked the Texas man down after footage of him at the Capitol during the riot was played on YouTube and Fox News. Investigators said they cross-checked those photos with his Texas driver's license photo to verify his identity. Even his cellphone details suggested the Reffitt was at the Capitol when the mob rioted.
It looks like Reffitt had completely dedicated himself to the cause as the FBI also found out he had previously posted a comment on a website for a militia extremist group known as the Texas Freedom Force. Brandon Burkhart, the president of This is Texas Freedom Force, reportedly said that Reffitt signed up to join the group in June 2020 but didn't go to any meetings or rallies. At the same time, he clarified about his group, "We are not a militia," he said.
According to court papers, the FBI also found an AR-15 style rifle and a Smith & Wesson pistol in his possession when they arrested him on January 15. While searching Reffitt's Wylie home, authorities interviewed Reffitt’s wife, son and daughter, who revealed that on January 11, Reffitt told family members he had to "erase everything" because the FBI was "watching him".
He told his son if he "crossed the line" and reported him, he would have to "do what he had to do". His son then asked, "Are you threatening us?", to which Reffitt responded "Don’t put words in my mouth," he answered. The FBI said that the son took these comments as a threat to kill him.
He faces an unlawful entry for being at the US Capitol and obstruction of justice for threatening his family, where the FBI said he threatened to use physical force to "hinder, delay or prevent the communication to a law enforcement officer information related to the commission or possible commission of a federal crime."
Who is Guy Reffitt?
Guy Reffitt worked in the oil business and has been trying to start a private security company, his son revealed. Over a phone call, Reffitt's 18-year-old son Jackson reveals more details about his father. He recalls a time roughly five years ago when his father was a different man. Over the four years of the Trump administration, he became increasingly obsessed with politics and even joined a far-right militia group known as the Three Percenters.
The 18-year-old Jackson knows exactly who is to blame. The 2020 high school graduate, who is soon to begin college on Tuesday, January 19, describes himself as a liberal. He said his father believed Trump's false claims that the election was rigged.
"I love him, but I hate him," the son said of his relationship with his father. "I say he's [Trump] just manipulated even my own family members," he said. "Obviously, I don't like his methods." When asked if he believed his father is dangerous, Jackson said he didn't think so but added, "I don't really know him anymore."
Of the roughly 125 people arrested across the country for the riots, the other Norths Texans apart from Reffitt are Jenna Ryan, Troy Smocks and Larry Brock.