A man who was involved in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, was shot dead by a deputy during a traffic stop Sunday (January 26) afternoon, just days after being pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Matthew Huttle, 42, of Hobart, was fatally wounded during an incident with a Jasper County Sheriff's deputy after being pulled over on Indiana State Road near the Pulaski County line, the department said in a news release obtained by the New York Post.
“An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect,” the department said.
Huttle was reported to have had a gun inside his vehicle at the time of his death. The 42-year-old was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to entering a restricted building for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and released in July 2024.
Huttle was among the 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants granted clemency by Trump during his first day in office on January 20. Huttle claimed to have attended Trump's speech in Washington that proceeded the chaos on January 6, 2021, with his uncle because he thought it would be a historic event and was days removed from being released from jail on a driving offense.
“He is not a true believer in any political cause,” defense attorney Andrew Hemmer claimed at the time.
The Jasper County Sheriff's Office didn't reveal additional details about the shooting that resulted in Huttle's death and an investigation has been launched. The deputy who shot Huttle was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol for the department, according to Sheriff Patrick Williamson.
“Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased as any loss of life is traumatic to those that were close to Mr. Huttle,” Williamson said in a statement obtained by the New York Post.