Matthew Huttle, an Indiana man who was pardoned for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy after he pulled out 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 with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. According to a press release, Huttle resisted arrest and was found to be in possession of a firearm. During the encounter, Huttle allegedly pulled out a gun, causing the deputy to open fire, seriously wounding him.
The sheriff’s department has asked the Indiana State Police to investigate the shooting. The deputy involved has been placed on paid administrative leave, per department protocol. Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson expressed his sympathies to Huttle’s family, saying, “Our condolences are with the family of the deceased as any loss of life is painful for those 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 clearance from state police.
An autopsy was performed Monday morning, confirming Huttle’s identity.
Huttle was one of the people involved in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, where hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
Court records show that Huttle pleaded guilty to entering a restricted building in August 2023, and in November he was sentenced to six months in prison and 12 months of supervised release. However, the sentence was wiped out 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 can be heard saying he’s “going to see if we can get in.”
Huttle wasn’t the only person in his family involved in the riot. His uncle also participated and pleaded guilty to attacking officers with a flag pole. The uncle was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and was also pardoned by Trump.
