“Isn’t religion supposed to teach tolerance?” ~ Chris Kyle
Erica Ritz, TheBlaze — Former Navy SEAL and bestselling author of the book “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History” Chris Kyle was killed at the Rough Creek Lodge in Texas Saturday, NBC DFW reports.WFAA adds:
Two people were killed Saturday at a gun range in Erath County. Three sources tell News 8 that one of the victims was Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL and author of the New York Times bestselling book, “American Sniper.”
Kyle was shot point-blank while helping another soldier who is recovering from post traumatic stress syndrome, News 8 learned.
An alert was issued for the suspect, who was reportedly captured in Lancaster, south of Dallas. The suspect was believed to be highly trained with military experience. [Emphasis added]
KXAS-TV has more:
RIP: Fmr Navy SEAL, 'American Sniper' Author Chris Kyle Slain at TX Gun Range
WFAA-TV released the following photo of Routh late Saturday night, but did not specify when the photo was taken.Reports indicate the suspect actually took off in Kyle’s car and, according to KHOU, officials say the second victim may have been the suspect’s neighbor.
Lancaster police later confirmed that the suspect Eddie Ray Routh was arrested Saturday night and is expected to be charged with murder. A spokesman for Lancaster police said officers flagged Routh and took him into custody at Interstate 35 and Camp Wisdom Road after a brief chase.
[...]
Kyle was well-known both in his field and by the media, earning the nickname of “the devil of Ramadi” by insurgents, and “America’s deadliest sniper” at home.
You may also remember the time he punched former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura in the face.
Kyle served four tours of duty in Iraq and had 160 kills as a Navy SEAL, NBC DFW reports. According to the Stephenville Empire-Tribune, he made his longest successful shot after he spotted an insurgent with a rocket launcher 2,100 yards (about 1.2 miles) away, near a U.S. Army convoy.
He is married and the father of two.
Before his death, Kyle weighed in on gun violence, gun control, veteran life and SHOT Show 2013:
Guns.com interviews the most lethal sniper in the U.S. military history Chris Kyle at SHOT Show 2013. Kyle is a former Navy SEAL, best selling author and now TV show host, and is the president of a combat and tactical training company called Craft International.
Jack Murphy at the Special Operations Forces Situation Report (SOFREP) wrote this moving note Saturday night:
I am saddened to have to announce the tragic loss of another one of our own. This has been a hard year for the Special Operations community, perhaps the SEAL community most of all.
Today Chris Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range at the Rough Creek Lodge in Texas, murdered along with a second individual.
Chris had been volunteering his time to help Marine Corps veterans suffering from PTSD and mentoring them. Part of this process involved taking these veterans to the range where one of them snapped and killed Chris and his neighbor for reasons that remain unknown at this time. The perpetrator then stole Chris’ vehicle in an attempt to escape but we have received word that the police have since arrested him.
You can read the rest of the note at SOFREP. » Read More
» TheBlaze
» Erica Ritz Article Archive
More About Chris Kyle On TheBlaze
» 10 of the Best Quotes from Slain SEAL Chris Kyle’s Book ‘American Sniper’
» Flashback: Watch Legendary SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle in Action on NBC’s Reality Show ‘Stars Earn Stripes’
» Why Did the ‘Deadliest’ SEAL Sniper Punch Jesse Ventura in The Face?