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On the way to the range, Kyle texted Littlefield referring to Routh, saying: "This dude is straight-up nuts.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. He believed that where most recruits failed in training was stalking the art of sneaking into a position without being seen. A public memorial service for Kyle, 38, reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American military history, was set for Monday at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas. Early in the battle for the city, Kyle was injured after a rocket-propelled grenade hit the building in which he was hiding, collapsing a wall on to his legs and pinning him there. 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. We also wanted to be careful not to glorify the guy who did it.. 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. In the context of the Newtown, Conn., massacre and the renewed debate over gun control, the shooting death of Kyle made national headlines. Subscribe now to get instant access to the real story behind Chris Kyle, in this issue of PEOPLE. Paul Boccafogli, the resort's general manager, refused to answer questions about the lawsuit or last week's double homicide. He had gone over to the range with a. Those pistols were loaded with the safety on. He earned the nickname, "Shaitan Ar-Ramadi", meaning "the devil of Ramadi", from insurgents after his stellar shooting record in Ramadi. After all, hed helped other vets before. It was a Chinese-made grenade and she had pulled out the pin just as a U.S. Marine foot patrol approached. He hesitated a moment before his commander told him to shoot. Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield were shot and killed by a former Marine that they had taken to a gun range as therapy to address his PTSD in 2013. He said that Routh actually had paranoid personality disorder exacerbated by drug use. Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper, which came out in 2014, more than a year after Chris Kyles death. Although he was never convicted for their murders, it's widely believed that Simpson killed Brown Simpson and Goldman. At the Rough Creek. A week later, Kyle followed through. "We just said we loved each other and gave each other a hug and kiss, like we always did," she said. It was incredibly personal and intimate, says Miller. My teammates made it possible., Theres an inaccurate stereotype of these guys, that they love war, says Taya. The comments below have not been moderated. When the sister asked where Routh got the truck, Routh said he killed two men, stole their car and planned to flee to Oklahoma, Nash said. In January 2010, he was sent on a humanitarian mission to Haiti. [7][8] Routh had also been in and out of mental hospitals for at least two years and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Eddie Routh had spent four years in the Marines but since leaving he had twice been hospitalized for mental illness. 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. Eddie Ray Routh faces capital murder charges for shooting the former Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield. His military memoir went on to sell over 1.2 million copies and was later adapted into a Clint Eastwood film, American Sniper. But what that does is give you a really solid and honest relationship on which to build [the performances]., 4. 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. Kyle thought that shooting a firearm might offer some kind of . His exploits had the odd darkly humorous moment, such as the time 16 fully-armoured insurgents tried to swim a river separating them from the Americans, clinging for buoyancy to four brightly-coloured beach balls. 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. 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. psychotic. Decorated Sniper's Death Not Only Gun Disaster At Resort. The McMillan TAC-338 is a specialized sniper rifle made to "exact" specifications with long range lethality and precision in mind, explains Military Factory. 2 Eddie Ray Routh was 25 when he murdered Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield in 2013 Credit: AFP She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. 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 jury returned the verdict after fewer than three hours of deliberations. In February 2013, Kyle and a friend drove Routh to a gun range near Kyle's home in Texas. A public memorial service for the 38-year-old Kyle, reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American military history, is scheduled for Monday at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas. Kyle took up a position just set back from the street window of a top-floor flat and in a macabre touch he and his partner used an upturned babys crib to rest their rifles on as they lay down on rolled-up bedding and waited. American Sniper - Chris Kyle Funeral Procession & Tribute - YouTube 0:00 2:57 American Sniper - Chris Kyle Funeral Procession & Tribute Eric Paulson 772 subscribers Subscribe 9.7K. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Born on April 8, 1974, in Odessa, Texas, Christopher Scott Kyle dreamt of joining the military from a young age. Routh told his sister and brother-in-law that the men "were out shooting target practice and he couldn't trust them so he killed them before they could kill him," according to the affidavit. I killed them. When Routh fled again, his sister called the police, telling them, Hes all crazy, hes fking psychotic.. A Chicago prostitute later admitted that she had left Chris alone in his apartment as he had began to pass out on the floor! I can promise you, they dont love war. Its forcing yourself to do what you need to do, even when you dont want to do it.. The murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield occurred on February 2, 2013, at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas. Instead, a February afternoon in 2013 turned into murder when former United States Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle died alongside his friend, Chad Littlefield, after a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who they were trying to mentor suddenly opened fire. Taya Kyle cried at points during her testimony, including when she described last seeing her husband before he left to pick up both Routh and Littlefield on their way to Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, Texas. She texted her husband a few hours later, writing: "Are you OK? His sister, Laura Blevins, called 9-1-1 and told the emergency operator: "They went out to a shooting range Like, he's all crazy. 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. As his reputation spread, other snipers openly wondered what his secret was. Routh later was arrested near his house in Lancaster. CHRIS Kyle became a household name after his autobiography, American Sniper, was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood. 1. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in July 2011 after serving for seven years. In one incident, he spotted the passenger of a moped dropping his backpack down a manhole clearly an IED. After hed killed Kyle and Littlefield, Routh got into Kyles truck and fled. Routh, a 25-year-old Marine, had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Sometime between 4:40 and 4:50 p.m., a wilderness guide at Rough Creek, Justin Nabours, found Kyle and Littlefield, each dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Chris Kyle's widow, Taya Kyle, said the Kyles spent that Saturday like many American parents: on the sidelines of their children's sports games. He was experiencing auditory hallucinations and paranoia and had threatened suicide. One man he shot from a distance of more than a mile. The phone may contain pictures of Routh with the victims before their deaths at a Texas shooting range, according to police documents released Thursday. With his huge tally of both Pentagon confirmed and unconfirmed kills, he became a popular SEAL known by his infantry as "The Legend" - which could be something to do with him surviving two shootings and six separate IED detonations. 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. Heres everything you need to know to find the right elliptical for your home. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Doctors diagnosed him with PTSD in 2011, but despite being prescribed medication, Routh continued to struggle with his mental health. Kyle was one of two U.S. snipers who attracted a bounty on his head in Ramadi. The contrasting portraits emerged as Routh's murder trial got underway in a Stephenville, Texas, courtroom Wednesday. It was in Sadr that he achieved his longest kill and probably the longest in the history of sniping picking off an insurgent on a roof more than a mile away as he levelled a rocket-propelled grenade at an approaching U.S. column. I wanted to be able to let people know about the sacrifices that not only people in the service make, but what their families go through, Kyle explained to the Dallas Morning News. The devastating death inspired many conspiracy theories and prompted Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant to launch an investigation into the murder. Newsfeed Now: Biden unveils $1.75 trillion spending, Newsfeed Now: Democrats push to wrap up negotiations, Newsfeed Now: FDA panel backs Pfizers low-dose COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Industry peers angry over deadly movie, Newsfeed Now: Infrastructure Bill drawing toward, Newsfeed Now: FBI IDs remains of Brian Laundrie;, WATCH: Master Minds host, star discuss hit game show, This Dallas restaurant serves some of the meanest,, Texas ranked among best states in US for business, Judge denies class action status for fired Twitter, Cooler temps to end work week behind cold front, Texas deli ranked among best places to get pastrami, Expect to receive lower income tax refund this year, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "Out of respect for Chris's and Chad's family who have suffered such a tragic loss and due to Law Enforcement's ongoing criminal investigation, we have no comment at this time," he wrote via email. They say pictures of weapons, shell casings, and even the bodies of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. These Texas zip codes are among the hottest in, Texas is the 7th best state to drive in, study finds, Download the CW33 News App for iOS and Android, Heres when you should give your child cold medication, These TX zip codes are among the hottest in the, Republicans threaten vote to increase debt ceiling, Popular Chicago-based eatery Portillos grand opening, Dallas Children Advocacy Center hosts Mahjong for, Al-Qaida chiefs pattern of life was key to death, Hospital bills $847 facility fee for Zoom call, Whats next in unprecedented case of truck driver. Kyle was killed with a .45-caliber pistol, while Littlefield was shot with a 9mm SIG Sauer P226 Mk.25 Mod 0 pistol. It was hard, she says. In 2006, he returned, this time to fight in Ramadi, now considered the countrys most dangerous city. On day two, jurors were shown some graphic pictures of the crime scene. 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. 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle Killing: 911 Call Released Made from Texas Gun Range ABC News 14M subscribers Subscribe 2.6K Share Save 775K views 9 years ago The former Navy SEAL and author was. [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. Hall added that Kyles widow, Taya, had also asked him not to include her husbands murder for the sake of their children. Kyle suspected the insurgents got information from Iraqis supposedly working for the U.S. But you never know unless you are an insider.". Eddie lived with his parents and was a thin, scraggly 25-year-old. I want to go back. , 3. Kyle was known as the best sniper of his time. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The case attracted national attention due to Kyle's fame as author of a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, published in 2012. Two years after Chad Littlefield and Chris Kyles death, Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty of first degree murder. / CBS News. Extraordinary moment shirtless Michael Clarke and Karl Stefanovic face off in a wild late-night scuffle - as More misery for NHS patients as thousands of nurses stage two-day strike across England: Health chiefs warn Is it time for the Government to give the nurses a better pay deal? Starring Bradley Cooper, it garnered good reviews, though it excluded the story of Chris Kyles death. 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. And then he had his way.. Christopher Scott Kyle (April 8, 1974 - February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL sniper. Stay informed on the latest crime news with abcnews.com.ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Tune into ABC World News Tonight with David Muir for unparalleled reporting. A public memorial service for the 38-year-old Kyle, reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American military history, is scheduled for Monday at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas. Pictures: Ex-Navy SEAL fatally shot on Texas gun range. "They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. Kyle's death generated an outpouring of grief in Texas, where he was celebrated as a hero in a memorial service at Texas Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.It also resonated with gun enthusiasts across the country, who embraced Kyle as a celebrity at major events like Las Vegas's SHOT show, the annual firearms industry convention.. Kyle's legend as a kind of modern Wyatt Earp was . Kyle was not a soldier particularly racked by conscience. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. He remains jailed in Erath County on $3 million bond. And it also inspired a Texas woman named Jodi Routh to reach out to Kyle to see if he could help her son, Eddie Ray Routh. He kept running, regretting bitterly he was armed only with a snipers rifle whose 20-round magazine was pitifully inadequate. He joined the Navy in 1999, and in his bestselling 2012 autobiography upon which the film is based, Kyle wrote about his first long-range kill shot. When Rouths mother approached Kyle and begged him to help her son, Kyle agreed. Then, Routh attacked. A final scene of 'American Sniper' showing Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's gory death at a rifle range was cut after the victim's wife urged screenwriters to leave it out for the sake of. Simpson. Taya also gave Cooper and costar Sienna Miller, who portrays her in the film, email exchanges she shared with Chris while he was deployed. Kick start your weekday mornings with news updates from Good Morning America (GMA) and Sundays with This Week with George Stephanopoulos. But Routh shot the pair with two pistols that belonged to Kyle, because "nobody would talk to me". One of the gunshot wounds was to the top of the head, indicating it was likely fired while Littlefield was already on the ground. After reading about Chris Kyles death at the hands of Eddie Ray Routh, discover the story of Simo Hyh, the deadliest sniper in history. Kyle had begun working with veterans after leaving the military and Routh's mother had asked him to help her son. T he filmmakers behind American Sniper left out Chris Kyle's violent murder at the end of the blockbuster movie for the sake of his two kids, says screenwriter Jason Hall. It was the world's eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper, reports D Magazine. The Long case is set to go to trial on April 1. Were so thrilled that we have the verdict that we have tonight, Kyles mother, Judy, told reporters. From there, Kyle quickly proved his mettle as a marksman. Littlefield lay on the same deck nearby. Bradley Cooper starred as Kyle in the 2014 film alongside Sienna Miller, which went on to win two Academy Awards. Crime scene photos shown in court show Kyle lying on the dirt in front of an elevated deck from which rifles were fired at targets up to 1,000 yards away. ': Kim Kardashian is hailed the 'Queen of TikTok' after giving herself a Want the best deals for peak-season holidays? A funeral service for. VA clinicians believed Routh's psychotic symptoms were caused by alcohol abuse and offered inpatient treatment. Check out the award winning team of off-air reporters, correspondents, and producers of ABC World News Tonight weeknights at 6:30 | 5:30c. Chris Kyle, left, and Chad Littlefield, right, are pictured. Watch the stories of ordinary crime and the work of criminal masterminds. I'm getting worried." [16], On February 24, 2015, Routh was found guilty of murdering Kyle and Littlefield. I'm sure they've forgiven me.". Rather more unconventionally, he also discovered he shot far more accurately if he had a wad of chewing tobacco wedged inside his cheek. Before he left, We said, I love you, recalls Taya. 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. Paul Moseley/Getty Images | Midlothian Funeral Home. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. 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. 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. Eddie Ray Routh is pictured in court on Feb. 11, 2015. Anything we can do, I think its worth it for these guys who have put it all on the line, she says. In September, Routh was transported to a psychiatric hospital after he threatened to kill himself and his family, and he later told officers that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Lancaster police records show. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines at the age of 18 in 2006 and was deployed as an armorer in 2007. Ironically, the man whom the Iraqis couldnt kill despite placing a $20,000 bounty on his head fell victim to a former U.S. Marine veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. As his reputation grew, so did the bounty on his head - it shot up from $20,000, increasing to $80,000. Routh would show off Kyle's items at an uncle's house and his sister's house, and also stop at Taco Bell for a burrito, Nash added. The SEALs ran a gruelling sniper school and Kyle passed the course before his second Iraq tour. February 8, 2013 / 10:46 AM Kyle later downplayed the long-range kill as a "really, really lucky shot". 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? 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. A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. The Washington Post reports that Chris Kyle died from a rapidly fatal shot through his aorta as well as one to his jaw that caused a spinal cord injury. Or, most likely, I was just lucky.. He served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. Taya Kyle reveals how American Sniper brought her husband back to life and why she trusted Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. Unfortunately, he discovered later, he hadnt hung up properly and she heard the entire battle. The pair took Routh to the shooting range for a therapeutic session, in a bid to help Routh's post-traumatic stress disorder. Cold, hard facts about how freezing winter weather can harm your health, Farmer, 71, who appeared on BBC documentary This Farming Life is killed by one of his own cows. In June 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were left slaughtered in pools of their own blood, reportedly by the hands of Brown Simpson's former husband, O.J. Kyle had been shot six times, including a rapidly fatal bullet to the back that pierced his aorta, and another to the jaw that caused a severe spinal cord injury. 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. To do this, SEALs had to adapt to the hot and sweaty ghillie suit made out of hessian cloth on which the sniper attached hay, grass or whatever was needed to blend into the environment he was entering. Advance through the justice system and the aftermath that follows a high profile investigation. I knew this would give me a voice so I could speak about the guys I know who were killed.