A January 6 rioter pardoned by Donald Trump has been shot dead by an officer during a traffic stop. Matthew Huttle, 42, was fatally shot after a Jasper County Sheriff's deputy pulled him over on Indiana State Road 14 and attempted to arrest him on Sunday afternoon. Huttle is alleged to have had a gun inside the car at the time of the fatal shooting.
State police said in a statement: "An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect." There have been 24 fatalities in Indiana from a discharged firearm since January 1 this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Huttle was one of hundreds of people who were granted a controversial pardon from the president after he returned to the presidency. He was sentenced to six months in 2023 after he pleaded guilty to entering a restricted building. Huttle travelled to Washington DC with his uncle to listen to Trump's speech and was inside the Capitol building for about 16 minutes. His attorney argued in court he attended the rally as he believed it would be a historic moment and had previously been in jail for a driving offence.
Indiana State Police did not share more information about the circumstances around the fatal shooting, including why Huttle was being apprehended. The agency is now carrying out an investigation into the circumstances behind the shooting. The deputy who fatally shot Huttle has been put on administrative leave, which is part of protocol for the sheriff's department, the New York Post reported. Sheriff Patrick Williamson of the Jasper County Sheriff said in a statement: "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.".
