By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. For Chris it was, This is what I trained for. Chris Kyle, American Sniper, killed at a shooting range TomoNews US 2.69M subscribers 2.9M views 9 years ago Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in U.S. History, and his friend Chad. Pictures: Ex-Navy SEAL fatally shot on Texas gun range. A Lancaster officer described trying to talk Rought into getting out of Chris Kyles truck. He said that Routh actually had paranoid personality disorder exacerbated by drug use. Zook has closely followed this month's tragedy. He went to a military recruiting office interested in the Marine Corps, and eventually achieved 24-week Basic Underwater Demolition/SEA, Air, Land (SEAL) training in 1999 and graduated in 2001. The New York Post revealed today that Bradley Cooper will star as the sniper in an upcoming movie about his life and death. Kyle spent the morning with his wife and children at the kids' sporting events and then with Eddie Ray Routh, the former Marine who is now on trial for Kyle's murder. It's Walkout Wednesday! A veteran considered to be the deadliest sniper in American history, a feat he described in his 2012 book American Sniper, Kyle faced criticism when it was discovered that he had exaggerated and lied about some of the claims in his memoir. He remains jailed in Erath County on a $3 million bond. Kyle was the author of \"American Sniper\", a best seller about Kyle's 150+ insurgent kills. I want to go back. , 3. The case attracted national attention due to Kyle's fame as author of a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, published in 2012. However, according to the record, it was confirmed that only 160 of the kills were confirmed.. Not to mention this man had contributed his skill four times during the time of the Iraq War. The two men apparently never returned fire. Littlefield responded, "Watch my six," military slang meaning "watch my back. Kyle became so notorious that Iraqi insurgents dubbed him Al Shaitan Ramadi: the Devil of Ramadi. I'm getting worried." Rowing machines simulate a realistic on-the-water rowing experience. Retired Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and a friend, Chad Littlefield, were fatally shot at the resort's gun range, allegedly by Eddie Ray Routh, a reportedly emotionally troubled veteran Kyle was trying to help. I knew this would give me a voice so I could speak about the guys I know who were killed. Kyle was known as the best sniper of his time. Could new DNA tech crack the JonBenet Ramsey case? 1. They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them, Routh told police in his rambling post-arrest interview. [7][8] Routh had also been in and out of mental hospitals for at least two years and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Police finally caught up to Eddie Ray Routh that night, hours after Chad Littlefield and Chris Kyle died at his hand. The contrasting portraits emerged as Routh's murder trial got underway in a Stephenville, Texas, courtroom Wednesday. Like Kyle, Eddie Ray Routh had served time in Iraq. He had hoped to do the same to his killer, 25-year-old Eddie Ray Routh, a former Marine who struggled with his mental health after leaving the service. Who Shot Chris Kyle Death? The case attracted national attention due to Kyle's fame as author of a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, published in 2012. But Chris Kyle soon found a new calling: helping his fellow veterans adjust to civilian life. In all, he earned seven medals for bravery two Silver Stars and five Bronze Medals. Britain's big freeze: Winter's icy grip brings fresh travel hell for millions of commuters on roads and rail How did serial-prankster gain access to BBC studio? [5] Both Kyle and Littlefield were armed with .45-caliber M1911-style pistols when they were killed, but neither gun had been unholstered or fired, and the safety catches were still on. Advance through the justice system and the aftermath that follows a high profile investigation. In one incident, he spotted the passenger of a moped dropping his backpack down a manhole clearly an IED. I was just making sure she didnt take any Marines with her, he wrote. Kyle wrote a book in 2012 called American Sniper: The Autobiography, telling the story of his four tours in Iraq from 1999-2009. "We just said we loved each other and gave each other a hug and kiss, like we always did," she said. Kyle had begun working with veterans after leaving the military and Routh's mother had asked him to help her son. CHRIS Kyle became a household name after his autobiography, American Sniper, was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood. To his fellow American troops, however, the special forces commando was a guardian angel whose hawk-eyed accuracy did much to level the odds in the bloody struggle on the streets of Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah. Prosecutors are building a timeline of Eddie Ray Rouths actions before and after the murders. But Routh shot the pair with two pistols that belonged to Kyle, because "nobody would talk to me". From there, Kyle quickly proved his mettle as a marksman. By the time Kyle returned home after four combat deployments in Iraq, with two Silver Stars and three Bronze Stars to his name, however, his time as a sniper had taken its toll. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. Later, itll be up to his lawyers to convince jurors that mental illness kept him from knowing right from wrong. After all, hed helped other vets before. Kyle and Littlefield had reportedly taken Routh to the gun range in an effort to help him with his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he suffered from his time in the military. I would worry about him all the time. It was the world's eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper, reports D Magazine. "Saturday Night Live" funnyman Chris Farley followed his idol John Belushi to an early death via a drug overdose. Chris, who served four tours in Iraq before his death at age 38 in 2013, "was so complicated in so many ways but so simple in other ways," his widow, Taya Kyle, tells PEOPLE in this week's. Bored of the long waiting game of sniping, Kyle started helping the Marines clear houses of possible enemies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In 2006, he returned, this time to fight in Ramadi, now considered the countrys most dangerous city. After the teenager placed a shell in the bottom barrel, aimed and pulled the trigger, "the shotgun exploded, blowing William's left thumb off and permanently and severely injuring his left hand and thumb," the complaint states. Please enter valid email address to continue. ': Kim Kardashian is hailed the 'Queen of TikTok' after giving herself a Want the best deals for peak-season holidays? Working from the top of a four- storey building, Kyles body count to be official, each had to be witnessed by a comrade and result in a confirmed death soared as insurgents poured into the city to attack the Americans. Kyle shot the insurgent, the bullet from his powerful sniper rifle killing both rider and passenger. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world. He remains jailed in Erath County on $3 million bond. Rather more unconventionally, he also discovered he shot far more accurately if he had a wad of chewing tobacco wedged inside his cheek. Before Chriss death, he spoke with Cooper about the movie.In the early stages of the films development, He said if he had a choice of who would direct the movie, it would be Clint Eastwood, Cooper said recently. ABC News show roster has both leaders in daily evening and morning programming. He survived gunshot wounds, explosions and horrors of war most of us couldn't imagine. [2], Murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield, "The fatal intersection of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and the Marine veteran who killed him", "Chad Littlefield, 1977-2013: The Other Shooting-Range Victim", "Inside the Tortured Mind of Eddie Ray Routh, the Man Who Killed American Sniper Chris Kyle", "Noted sniper slain at Erath County gun range", "Man charged in fatal shooting of ex-SEAL/author", "Chris Kyle's Widow Breaks Down on the Stand and the Chilling Text Message", "Author of 'American Sniper' among the dead at Rough Creek", "Ex-SEAL Chris Kyle remembered after shooting death", "At 'American Sniper' murder trial, a psychosis defense", "Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in 'American Sniper' Trial", "Jury finds Eddie Ray Routh guilty in 'American Sniper' case", "Chris Kyle Funeral Procession Arrives in Austin. I look through the scope, get my target in the cross hairs, and kill my enemy, before he kills one of my people.. He would learn how far ahead of targets he needed to aim if they were running or walking, and how to adjust for elevation or the wind. [13] The trial began on February 11, 2015. So Kyle tried life as a cowboy first. Though a trained member of the SEALs the elite unit which conducted the raid on Osama bin Ladens compound in 2011 Kyle was still not yet an authorised sniper when, borrowing his unit commanders rifle, he made his first kill in March 2003, just two weeks into the conflict in Iraq. I feel bad about it, but they wouldn't talk to me. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle Killed At Gun Range, Most Lethal Sniper in US History Gunned Down in Texas - YouTube 0:00 / 2:35 Navy SEAL Chris Kyle Killed At Gun Range, Most Lethal Sniper in US. Kyles goal, his wife Taya later explained to The New Yorker, was to give someone who was hurting a chance to talk on the drive, spend a short bit of time shooting, and then give him a little more time to talk on the way home, to find some outlets and resources., But the drive with Eddie Ray Routh was seemingly a tense one. Starring Bradley Cooper, it garnered good reviews, though it excluded the story of Chris Kyles death. On another occasion he calmly broke off a phone conversation with his wife to fight off a fierce night attack. Even eating so much bacon. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Get your evening fix with 20/20, Nightline, and ABC World News Tonight. But the legend came to an end last Saturday evening at a shooting range in his home state. "It seems to be run OK from the outside. A funeral service for the 35-year-old Littlefield was set for Friday in Midlothian. Scanning the deserted main street of a small town in the Nasiriya region, he spotted a woman step out of a house with her child. Coles worker fights a woman allegedly trying to steal groceries, Man ordered to take off a Jesus Saves t-shirt at Mall of America, Man knocked out by a pool cue in violent pub brawl, Locals desperately smash windows of overturned double-decker bus. Tara Kyle cries on the stand during court inside the Erath County Donald R. Jones Justice Center during the murder trial for Eddie Ray Routh in Stephenville, Texas, Feb. 11, 2015. Inside The Death Of Chris Kyle, The Real-Life American Sniper Shot To Death By A Fellow Veteran. He was a loving dad and husband.The father of two had a huge heart and softness as well as strength, says Taya. Many fans were drawn to Kyles unashamed patriotism and unvarnished account of modern warfare. Urging a squad of up to 20 Marines to follow him as he rushed into enemy fire, Kyle looked around to find he was alone. The former SEAL and Littlefield were visiting the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range with Marine Corps veteran, Eddie Ray Routh. Long's attorney, Bill Zook, told HuffPost that the explosion tore through skin and ligament, blowing away the entire thumb except for the bone. Taya Kyle reveals how American Sniper brought her husband back to life and why she trusted Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. Taya founded the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation to honor her late husband and help enrich military families relationships. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. I said, Is everything okay? And he said, Yeah, I just need to get down there and get back. , Asked about the irony of his death occurring at home after surviving such brutal odds in combat, Taya, who says she is still grappling with the big hole in her heart, replies, Whats so interesting is that I was always such an over thinker anyway. A Chicago prostitute later admitted that she had left Chris alone in his apartment as he had began to pass out on the floor! Those pistols were loaded with the safety on. The McMillan TAC-338 is a specialized sniper rifle made to "exact" specifications with long range lethality and precision in mind, explains Military Factory. Eddie Routh had spent four years in the Marines but since leaving he had twice been hospitalized for mental illness. Is inflation FINALLY on the way down? She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. The Project star Carrie Bickmore has shocked Australia with the announcement . Kyle, a former Navy SEAL, was walking down the range with his friend Littlefield to set up targets when Eddie Ray Routh opened fire and hit both of them. Born on April 8, 1974, in Odessa, Texas, Christopher Scott Kyle dreamt of joining the military from a young age. But it wasn't until after his service ended that Chris Kyle met his untimely death. For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUSSubscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsUSStay connected with us here:Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUSTwitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUSGoogle+ http://gplus.to/TomoNewsUS-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-Please watch: \"Crying dog breaks the internets heart but this sad dog story has a happy ending\" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4prKTN9bYQc-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- It was the first time he had killed someone with a sniper rifle. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in United States military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed in Texas. Its not patience, because Im not an incredibly patient man. Taya Kyle said she became uneasy when she called her husband at the gun range and he sounded irritated and short, according to The Associated Press. With a large red crusaders cross tattooed on one arm, he said his only regret about his work was that he hadnt killed more. Part of HuffPost Politics. [4], In late July 2011, Routh was diagnosed by clinicians at Veterans hospital as having post-traumatic stress disorder and was prescribed antipsychotics and antidepressants. Complete coverage of Chris Kyle on Crimesider, First published on February 8, 2013 / 10:46 AM. But the legend came to an end last Saturday evening at a shooting range in his home state. Kick start your weekday mornings with news updates from Good Morning America (GMA) and Sundays with This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Kyle thought that shooting a firearm might offer some kind of . Security concerns after Youtuber managed to tape phone Money saving guru Martin Lewis reveals easy FIRST step to clearing thousands of pounds in debt, Six people die, including three children, when their throats are sliced by KITE STRINGS at Indian festival. I was in some badass situations, but it wasnt just me. Routh killed Kyle at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas on February 2, 2013. He earned the nickname, "Shaitan Ar-Ramadi", meaning "the devil of Ramadi", from insurgents after his stellar shooting record in Ramadi. Chris picked up Eddie in his black truck. Littlefield was hit seven times, including four that would have been instantly fatal. YouTube Chris Kyle died at the age of 38 after he was shot by a fellow military veteran in Texas. It was one of the most gruesome and notorious crimes of the century. As a sniper his job was to hide himself away in a building and then pick off any enemies he could spot as other troops moved forward a role known as overwatch. Bringing cake into the office is as harmful to colleagues as secondhand smoking, Britain's top food tsar Bradley Cooper to make SEAL film - m.NYPOST.com, Do not sell or share my personal information. He agreed to take Routh to a shooting range, which Kyle believed had therapeutic value. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Routh later told a police officer that Kyle and Littlefield wouldnt talk to me. He also felt that he was in danger, explaining during an interview after his arrest that he felt that, If I didnt take out [Kyles] soul, he was going to take mine next.. According to the civil suit complaint filed in a local Texas court, Long and his brother Stephen were taken to the range by a resort staffer on Aug. 3, 2009. Moore suggested Kyle, who worked with troubled veterans and had only met Routh that day, suspected something was wrong after picking up Routh. And then he had his way.. Or, learn about other legendary snipers like Carlos Hathcock and Chuck Mawhinney. At the Rough Creek Lodge near Stephenville, investigators even found pistols on the bodies of Kyle and Littlefield. Carrie, 42, was left red-faced in May last year when Chris was caught with his trousers down on a company Skype call. Routh's mother, who worked at the school that Kyle's children attended, had heard of his work and asked him to help her son. Routh joined the Marine Corps after high school and was deployed to a base near Baghdad in September 2007, acting as a prison guard and repairing weapons. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. Kyle, who was a former Navy SEAL, and his friend Littlefield were walking down range to set up targets when Eddie Ray Routh opened fire and hit both of them. He would always say, Mow a vets lawn, help them deal with their groceries, do anything. Any little thing would have a massive impact, so if this [film] can help Chris spread the message he wanted to spread, then we will all have done our job.. In police video played in court, Eddie Routh answered \"Yes, sir\" to \"You know what you did today is wrong, right?\"SUBSCRIBE for the latest news and updates from ABC News http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=abcnews To read the full story and others, visit http://www.abcnews.com Watch more news stories from ABC News!More stories like this from ABC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEdigLsKZyA\u0026list=PLQOa26lW-uI85qLlvNmzHhUz6AneEGDi1More World News Tonight with David Muirs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2MD_zLDgdM\u0026list=PL5E6638EB9ECF2329To read the full story and others, visit http://www.abcnews.comFollow ABC News across the web!Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/abcnews Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABCInstagram: https://instagram.com/ABCNews/ Watch as criminal investigations unfold, and witness the technology that helps the real life crime scene investigations (CSI) bring criminals to justice. CHRIS Kyle became a household name after his autobiography, American Sniper, was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood. Jeffrey Barnard performed autopsies on both Chris Kyle, who inspired the popular recent movie "American Sniper," and his friend Chad Littlefield after they were killed Feb. 2, 2013 at a rifle. Published: 16:01 GMT, 8 February 2013 | Updated: 17:10 GMT, 8 February 2013, Behind bars: Eddie Ray Routh is charged with two counts of murder after shooting Kyle and Chad Littlefield at a shooting range in Texas. Doctors diagnosed him with PTSD in 2011, but despite being prescribed medication, Routh continued to struggle with his mental health. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Eddie Ray Rouths mugshot, taken after Chris Kyles death. Chris Kyle, who has been branded an "American Hero [1]," never expressed any regrets for his many victims but stated that he wished he could have murdered more. His other court-appointed attorney, J. Warren St. John, said Routh was released from the Dallas Veterans Affairs hospital against his family's wishes just two days before the shootings. [19], A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11, 2013. And now Im happy that he ate so much bacon., For much more on Chris and Taya Kyle, pick up this weeks issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. The pair took Routh to the shooting range for a therapeutic session, in a bid to help Routh's post-traumatic stress disorder. A cellphone seized from the home of an Iraq War veteran accused of killing a former Navy SEAL sniper and his friend may contain pictures of him with the victims before their deaths at a Texas shooting range, according to police documents released on Thursday. Routh embarked on a humanitarian mission to Haiti in January 2010, and was honorably discharged the following year. I didnt want it to be the thing that was hanging over their heads for the very rest of their lives as the film that showed their father getting shot, Hall explained. [17][18] Routh is imprisoned at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Ramsey Unit in Brazoria County, Texas. The jury returned the verdict after fewer than three hours of deliberations. Check out the award winning team of off-air reporters, correspondents, and producers of ABC World News Tonight weeknights at 6:30 | 5:30c. Each rifle was fitted with a high-magnification telescopic sight with, if required, infra-red or night vision ability and a rangefinder to determine the distance to a target. Here are five things to know about the decorated two-time Silver Star recipient, whose nickname was the Legend.. Christopher Scott Kyle was a United States Navy SEAL sniper and the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history. I asked my daughter's teachers not to call her a boy they reported me to social services. Despite false claims he made in the autobiography about his medals of honor and a fictional altercation between himself and former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, Kyles book made him famous. Bradley Cooper starred as Kyle in the 2014 film alongside Sienna Miller, which went on to win two Academy Awards. Christopher Scott Kyle (April 8, 1974 - February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL sniper. Eddie Ray Routh faces capital murder charges for shooting the former Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield. Im sure theyve forgiven me.. He doubled back to his home to find police officers waiting, Nash said, before leading police on a chase that ended because an officer slammed a police vehicle into the truck. He kept running, regretting bitterly he was armed only with a snipers rifle whose 20-round magazine was pitifully inadequate. Im just a regular guy, he said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The phone may contain pictures of Routh with the victims before their deaths at a Texas shooting range, according to police documents released Thursday. Routh allegedly turned his gun on both Chris and Littlefield and is now awaiting trial for capital murder. The 46-year-old was featured in her husband's autobiography and its subsequent film directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper. On day two, jurors were shown some graphic pictures of the crime scene. Expert: U.S. forces nicknamed the former ranch hand from Texas The Legend. Kyle was killed with a .45-caliber pistol, while Littlefield was shot with a 9mm SIG Sauer P226 Mk.25 Mod 0 pistol. He died trying to help a former Marine.On Feb. 2, 2013, Chris and his friend Chad Littlefield took 25-year-old former Marine Eddie Ray Routh to a Texas shooting range after Rouths mother had asked Chris for help with her son, whom she said was suffering from PTSD. Or, most likely, I was just lucky.. In 2011, he started the FITCO Cares Foundation, and the next year he published his book, American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal American Sniper. But what that does is give you a really solid and honest relationship on which to build [the performances]., 4. Indeed, Chris Kyles death is just one small part of his larger story. It was supposed to be a simple trip to the gun range. Experts say streaming giant will drop star when his MailOnline readers back Jeremy Clarkson to keep his job on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The men arrived at the shooting range at around 3 p.m. and raised a red Bravo flag to indicate that the range was being used. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in United States military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed in Texas. His gung-ho ferocity and naked hatred of enemies he described as savages shocked some, but the book became an instant bestseller. He argued that the lodge should have cleaned the guns prior to the day's shooting. [14], Routh's attorneys argued that he was insane at the time of the murders. If the employee had, he would have seen the 20-gauge shells erroneously jammed into the shotgun, Zook argues. Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper, which came out in 2014, more than a year after Chris Kyles death. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle leaves behind his wife Taya and two children. Helping hand: Kyle had taken Routh, who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, to the range as therapy, After the first kill, the others come easy. After reading about Chris Kyles death at the hands of Eddie Ray Routh, discover the story of Simo Hyh, the deadliest sniper in history. Its forcing yourself to do what you need to do, even when you dont want to do it.. According to the prosecution's timeline, Nash then went to his own home, got his dog and other items, and drove off in Kyle's truck. His other court-appointed attorney, J. Warren St. John, said Routh was released from the Dallas Veterans Affairs hospital against his family's wishes just two days before the shootings. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle had $20,000 bounty placed on his head by Iraqis With up to 160 confirmed kills became deadliest sniper in US military history Shot at shooting range in Texas by troubled. It was incredibly personal and intimate, says Miller. Routh had been constantly in and out of mental institutions over a two-year period and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, as well as PTSD after his career in the Marine Corps. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tragically, their encounter would result in Chris Kyles death. Despite arguments from the defense that he suffered from psychosis, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses, a judge convicted Routh to life in prison. Chris Kyle was an American former US Navy SEAL whose death in 2013 was a shock to many. a blog post from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I wanted to get their story out and I wanted to raise awareness for veterans.. By then, Chris Kyles legacy had grown significantly. In February 2013, Kyle and a friend drove Routh to a gun range near Kyle's home in Texas. He is widely regarded as the deadliest sniper in U.S. history.The Odessa, Texas, native grew up hunting with his father and had uncanny aim as a marksman. Everyone says a sniper has to be patient, Kyle told the Dallas Morning News.