Matthew W. Huttle, 42, who received a presidential pardon for his role in the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in Jasper County, Indiana on January 26, 2025. The shooting occurred just seven days after Trump issued the controversial pardons in one of his first acts as president.
The incident occurred when a Jasper County sheriff’s deputy attempted to make a routine traffic stop near the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area. During the interaction, Huttle, a resident of Hobart, Indiana, allegedly resisted arrest while in possession of a firearm, leading to an altercation with the deputy.
Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson issued a statement saying, “For full transparency, I requested the Indiana State Police to investigate this officer-involved shooting.” Williamson added that the officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with standard protocol and department policy. He also expressed condolences to Huttle’s family, emphasizing that any loss of life is deeply traumatic for those who were close to the deceased.
The pardons, issued on January 20, 2025, were part of a sweeping executive action that included both pardons and commutations for approximately 1,600 individuals. The Justice Department was directed to pursue dismissal with prejudice of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to January 6, 2021, effectively unwinding the most extensive criminal inquiry in the department’s history.
Over 1,200 people had been convicted of January 6 crimes, with approximately 200 pleading guilty to assaulting law enforcement. The violence that day left over 100 police officers injured, making it one of the most significant attacks on law enforcement in recent U.S. history.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the pardons “an outrageous insult to our justice system” and praised the law enforcement officers who protected the Capitol during the attack.
Huttle’s case was among the less severe of the January 6 prosecutions. He had entered a plea agreement in August 2023, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds during the Capitol riot. The plea agreement detailed how Huttle entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door at approximately 2:45 p.m., remaining inside for about 10 minutes before exiting through a broken window near the Senate Wing.
During his sentencing, Huttle’s attorney argued for leniency, describing him as a “nonviolent individual” with a history of alcohol abuse and personal tragedies. Court documents revealed that Huttle had no prior criminal record and had maintained steady employment as a construction worker in Hobart for over a decade before his arrest.
FBI investigations confirmed that Huttle had been on Capitol grounds for several hours on January 6, 2021, and entered the building for approximately 10 minutes.
Law enforcement officials strongly criticized the pardons, calling them a deep betrayal and a severe injustice. They highlighted that the pardons primarily benefited the most violent members of the pro-Trump mob, including those who had been convicted of attacking police officers with pepper spray, crutches, and other weapons, many of whom received full clemency.
Huttle’s case is not the first instance of a pardoned January 6 defendant facing law enforcement. Another rioter, Daniel Ball of Florida, was rearrested on federal gun charges shortly after being pardoned.
The Indiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division Lowell Post is leading the investigation into the shooting. A complete autopsy was performed Monday morning at the Jasper County morgue, though results are pending further analysis. The findings will be submitted to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office for formal review, typically taking several weeks to complete.