Indiana man pardoned for Jan. 6 crimes killed in traffic stop shooting by deputy

An Indiana man who was recently pardoned for his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was shot and killed during a traffic stop by a sheriff’s deputy on Sunday.

Matthew Huttle, 42, was involved in a traffic stop at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday by a deputy with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, according to a press release. Huttle allegedly resisted arrest during the traffic stop and was found to have a firearm on him.

“An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect,” the release said.

Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson requested an investigation be conducted by the Indiana State Police. The deputy involved was placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy, Williamson said.

“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. “I will release the officer’s name once I have approval from the State Police Detectives.”

No additional details on the altercation were provided.

Huttle was identified by the Jasper County Coroner, who completed an autopsy Monday morning.

Huttle was one of many identified as part of the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in which hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters broke into the federal building in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.

Court records show Huttle entered into an agreement with federal prosecutors in August 2023, pleading guilty to a charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. He was sentenced in November 2023 to six months in federal prison followed by 12 months of supervised release.

But that was rendered moot this month when Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 people who had involvement in the Jan. 6 riot last week following his inauguration.

According to the complaint filed against him, Huttle was at the Capitol that day with his uncle and investigators obtained videos uploaded to his own Google account of him there. He could be heard in one of his videos that a group of people were going to the Capitol and he was “going to see if we can get inside.”

He was later identified on surveillance footage inside the federal building, including inside the Capitol’s crypt, the complaint said.

Huttle’s uncle also took a plea deal, court records show, and was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The complaint states he was identified on video assaulting officers with a flagpole on the steps of the Capitol building.

He was also pardoned.