Indiana Man Pardoned for January 6 Riot Fatally Shot by Deputy During Traffic Stop
The suspect resisted arrest and was found to have a weapon in his possession, police said.
An Indiana man who was among the hundreds pardoned by President Trump for the January 6 Capitol riot was shot and killed by a deputy during a traffic stop over the weekend.
Matthew Huttle, 42, was involved in an altercation with a deputy from the Jasper County Sheriffâs Office, which escalated during a traffic stop on Sunday, according to officials with the Indiana State Police.
âAn altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect,â reads a released statement.
Officials say that during the traffic stop, Huttle had resisted as the deputy attempted to place him under arrest. A scuffle broke out between the two, and the deputy drew his weapon and opened fire, fatally wounding the suspect.
Huttle was found to have a weapon in his possession during the stop.
Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson requested that state police officials investigate while the officer is on paid administrative leave.
âOur condolences go out to the family of the deceased as any loss of life is traumatic to those that were close to Mr. Huttle,â he said in a statement.
Huttle was among the 1,500 defendants from the January 6 riot who had recently received a full presidential pardon. His misdemeanor charge from the incident was wiped clean from his record.
He had traveled to Washington, D.C., with his uncle to attend the âStop the Stealâ rally and then marched with the crowd to the Capitol Building. He was inside the building for 16 minutes, recording a video of the unfolding events.
His lawyer at the time wrote in a filing with the court that he had gone to the rally because he wanted to witness a historic moment and had nothing better to do after being released from jail for a driving offense.
âHe is not a true believer in any political cause,â his defense attorney Andrew Hemmer had said in the filing.
In 2023, Huttle was sentenced to six months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to trespassing in a restricted building, according to the Washington Post. He was released from jail in July 2024.
