Matthew Huttle, an Indiana man pardoned for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy after pulling a gun during a traffic stop on Sunday afternoon.
The incident occurred around 4:15 p.m. when Huttle, 42, was stopped by a deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. According to a press release, Huttle resisted arrest and was found to be carrying a firearm. During the encounter, Huttle allegedly pulled the gun, prompting the deputy to open fire, fatally wounding him.
The sheriff’s department has asked the Indiana State Police to investigate the shooting. In line with department protocol, the deputy involved has been placed on paid administrative leave. Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson expressed sympathy for Huttle’s family, saying, “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.”
The sheriff’s department did not release additional details about the altercation, and the officer’s identity has not been disclosed, though Sheriff Williamson said the name would be released after approval from the State Police.
An autopsy was performed Monday morning, confirming Huttle’s identity.
Huttle had been among those involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, where hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
Court records show that Huttle pled guilty in August 2023 to entering a restricted building, and in November he was sentenced to six months in prison and 12 months of supervised release. However, this sentence was erased after Trump issued pardons to nearly 1,500 individuals involved in the Capitol riot earlier this month.
Videos from Huttle’s Google account helped authorities identify him at the Capitol, where he was seen inside the building and even in the Capitol’s crypt. In one video, Huttle could be heard saying he was “going to see if we can get inside.”
Huttle wasn’t the only one in his family involved in the riot. His uncle also participated and pled guilty to assaulting officers with a flagpole. The uncle was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was also granted a pardon by Trump.