An former Navy SEAL and an American hero, Chris Kyle, was shot and killed in a bizarre double shooting at a Texas shooting range during a charity event on Saturday. According to “Fox and Friends” live on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, Kyle and another man were shot in the back by a former Marine who fled the scene in one of the victim’s pickup trucks.
The suspect in the shooting is identified as 25-year-old Eddie Ray Routh, who was taken into custody after a brief chase, according to Dallas News on Sunday morning. Kyle and the other victim, whose name has not been released, were shot at point blank range. Routh is reportedly suffering from PTSD. The other victim who was shot also died.
According to ABC News on Sunday morning, Kyle was at this event supporting the man who fatally shot him in the back. It is not known what the motive was for the murder, but Routh shot both men in the back before fleeing in a truck belonging to one of the victims. Kyle was giving Routh support while at the gun range because he suffered from PTSD.
Kyle, who was 38-years-old, was the military’s “deadliest sharpshooter,” according to Dallas News and he was also the author of the best selling book American Sniper. After four tours of duty in Iraq, Kyle holds the military record of 150 kills as a sniper, a record which was confirmed by the Pentagon. The previous record for a sniper was 109 kills.
“Fox and Friends” describes Kyle as “a friend of the show” and someone who was a pleasure to have on their show. Friends of Kyle say that “he never changed.” Hudson Hartson, a childhood friend of Kyle’s talked about how fame never went to Kyle's head. Hartson went on to say that he still drives a pickup truck and was the same down to earth guy that he was when he was back in high school.
Kyle was at a charity event on behalf of his Dallas-based security firm that was being held at the Rough Creek Lodge and Resort when he was shot. He was on the gun range when he was killed, according to the U.S. Marshalls today.
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