An Indiana man who was pardoned by Donald Trump for taking part in the January 6 insurrection was killed by police during a traffic stop on Sunday.
Matthew Huttle, 42, was shot by a sheriff’s deputy after allegedly resisting arrest and getting into an altercation with an officer, local news outlets in Indiana report, based on the Indiana state police’s account of the incident.
Huttle was one of the more than 1,500 people pardoned by Trump for their roles in the 2017 Capitol riot on the first day of his second term in office.
Huttle traveled to Washington with his uncle, Dale, and both men were charged for participating in the insurrection. He entered the US Capitol for about 10 minutes and agreed to a plea deal that gave him six months in prison. His uncle, Dale Huttle, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge for assaulting an officer after he jabbed the police officer with a long flagpole.
The county sheriff in Jasper county, Indiana, said he requested the state police investigate the shooting. The officer was placed on administrative leave per department policy for police shootings, the sheriff 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,” Sheriff Patrick Williamson said in a statement.
Another January 6 participant who was pardoned last week was rearrested on federal gun charges. Daniel Ball of Florida was detained for an illegal firearm possession charge, a case that predated but emerged from his involvement in the 2021 Capitol insurrection.
Police officers who were at the Capitol that day and political violence experts have warned that the pardons could lead to further acts of violence.