A man from Hobart, Indiana, who was recently pardoned by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop on Sunday.
Matthew Huttle, 42, was shot by a deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said the deputy attempted to arrest Huttle when an altercation occurred, leading to the officer firing his weapon. State police confirmed that Huttle was in possession of a firearm at the time of the incident. No further details about the altercation or the reasons for the traffic stop were released.
Indiana State Police are investigating the incident. “The loss of life is always tragic,” said Sheriff Patrick Williamson, offering condolences to Huttle’s family. “Our thoughts are with those affected.”
Nick Barnes, an attorney who was representing Huttle in pending motor vehicle cases, stated that he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the shooting but planned to gather more information.
Huttle had been sentenced in 2023 to six months in custody after pleading guilty to entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. His conviction was part of a broader crackdown on those involved in the insurrection. Following his release, Huttle received a pardon from President Trump in January 2025.
Defense attorney Andrew Hemmer, who had represented Huttle in the Capitol riot case, described Huttle as someone who did not support any political cause but attended the rally because he saw it as a “historic moment” and had no other commitments after serving a previous jail sentence for a driving offense.
The investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing.
