Jan. 27 (UPI) — An Indiana man pardoned recently by President Donald Trump for his role in the deadly Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack has been shot and killed after resisting arrest, according to multiple reports.
Matthew W. Huttle, of Hobart, was shot and killed Sunday afternoon during a traffic stop, the Indiana State Police confirmed.
A preliminary state police investigation indicated that Huttle, 42, was in possession of a firearm when at approximately 4:15 p.m. local time a Jasper County Sheriff’s deputy performed a traffic stop on a vehicle on State Route 14 east of C.R. 475 East near the Pulaski County line.
It is unclear for now why Huttle was pulled over.
But according to reports, an “altercation” took place and Huttle “resisted” arrest by the unnamed officer which ultimately “resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect.”
An official autopsy was completed Monday afternoon, the Jasper County Coroner confirmed. However, no additional details were provided.
Meanwhile, the officer involved was placed on paid administrative leave per policy and standard protocol, said Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson.
Williamson says he will release the name of the officer once granted approval by Indiana state police detectives.
Huttle was among more than 1,500 convicted and later pardoned by Trump for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The FBI says Matthew Huttle was located via surveillance footage inside the building for about 10 minutes but remained on the grounds in multiple spots for several hours.
He was arrested with his uncle, Dale Huttle, for taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Matthew Huttle was later tracked down and arrested in Boise, Idaho. But court records showed that in August 2023 he entered into a plea deal with federal prosecutors to a charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building.
“I have no regrets. I will not say I’m sorry,” Dale Huttle, himself a Trump pardon recipient, previously stated.
Matthew Huttle was sentenced to six months in federal prison followed by 12 months on supervised release, according to federal records. His prison term ended last year on July 17.
But he was not the first recently pardoned rioter to face legal trouble. A Florida man last week was arrested on federal gun charges one day after the president pardoned him.
Notably, even longtime Trump loyalists were opposed to the unprecedented pardons of criminal activity.
“I have always said that, I think, when you pardon people who attack police officers, you’re sending the wrong signal to the public at large,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., as he spoke out against Trump’s pardons.
Meanwhile, findings of the ongoing investigation into Huttle’s death will be submitted for a formal review to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office.