January 6 defendant killed by police days after Trump pardon

An Indiana man, Matthew Huttle, 42, who had been pardoned by President Donald Trump for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop days later. Police pulled over Huttle’s vehicle on Sunday, and he allegedly resisted arrest, leading to an "altercation" with an officer. Authorities say he was carrying a firearm at the time, though the specific reason for the traffic stop remains unclear.

Huttle was one of nearly 1,600 individuals who received pardons or commutations from Trump related to the Capitol riot. He had spent about 10 minutes inside the Capitol building during the January 6 attack and was sentenced to six months in prison, eventually being released in July 2024.

Huttle’s uncle, Dale Huttle, who also participated in the Capitol riot, expressed no regrets, stating, "It was our duty as patriots." This incident follows other cases of pardoned rioters facing legal troubles; for example, Daniel Bell from Florida was recently rearrested on federal gun charges.

Trump, on his first day back in office, had dismissed the charges against many riot participants, including some leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, far-right groups involved in the riot. "These people have been destroyed," Trump said, criticizing the justice system's treatment of the rioters.

However, there has been backlash against Trump's pardons. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, called it a "mistake" to pardon those who violently assaulted police officers during the Capitol attack.