An Indiana man recently pardoned by former President Donald Trump in relation to the January 6 Capitol riot was shot dead by police during a traffic stop. Matthew Huttle, aged 42, faced a tragic fate just days after his pardon, as law enforcement reported he allegedly resisted arrest and engaged in an altercation. Specific details about the reasons for the stop remain unclear, but police confirmed he was armed at the time.
Huttle had a brief involvement in the Capitol incidents, having spent about ten minutes inside the building, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison in a plea deal. He had been released earlier this year. Following the shooting, the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the incident takes place, requested for transparency by Sheriff Patrick Williamson.
This incident is part of a troubling trend as other pardoned individuals from the January 6 events have faced legal issues post-pardon, such as Daniel Bell from Florida, recently rearrested on firearm charges. Notably, Trump had praised the pardoned rioters, claiming the justice system had treated them unfairly. However, some political voices, like Senator Lindsey Graham, criticized the pardons, labeling them misguided, especially for those who violently confronted law enforcement during the Capitol breach.
