Trump-pardoned US Capitol rioter killed by police during traffic stop

A man charged over the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol and pardoned by President Donald Trump was killed by police during a traffic stop, officials said.

Matthew Huttle, 42, was killed by a sheriff’s deputy on Sunday after he “resisted” arrest during a traffic stop in northwest Indiana, state police said in a statement.

“An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect,” the statement said without providing further details, except that Huttle was in possession of a firearm.

US media outlets identified Huttle as one of about 1500 people charged or convicted for participating in the Capitol assault who were pardoned by Trump.

US President Donald Trump pardoned about 1500 people charged or convicted for participating in the 2021 Capitol assault. Photo / Getty Images

The move by Trump only hours after he took office last week drew fierce criticism from Democrats and some pushback from Republicans for including people convicted of violently attacking police.

Huttle was sentenced to six months in prison and was released in July, local news outlet FOX59 said.

His uncle also participated in the January 6 assault and was sentenced last year to 30 months in prison, the news station said, after he pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers with a flagpole.

Media reports also said another pardon recipient, Daniel Ball, of Florida, was quickly re-arrested last week over a federal gun charge that predated the Capitol attack.

- Agence France-Presse