Chris Kyle Christopher Scott " Chris " Kyle ( April 8 , 1974 – February 2 , 2013 ) was a United States Navy SEAL known as the most lethal sniper in American military history with 160 confirmed kills out of 255 claimed kills , although these statistics have not been released by the Pentagon . Kyle served four tours in the second Iraq conflict and was awarded the 4th highest commendation awarded for acts of heroism , acts of merit , and / or meritorious service in a combat zone , the Bronze Star Medal and the third highest level of valor awarded Silver Star Medal multiple times . Iraqi insurgents dubbed him the " Devil of Ramadi " and offered a bounty for his head . He was shot twice , and was involved in six IED attacks . Kyle decided to spend time with his family and was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 2009 . He remained in the spotlight after leaving the Navy and wrote a " New York Times " bestselling autobiography , " American Sniper " . Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range by a fellow veteran on February 2 , 2013 , near Chalk Mountain , Texas . Early life . Born in Odessa , Texas , the son of a Sunday school teacher and a deacon , Kyle ' s father bought his son his first gun at 8 years old , a bolt - action . 30 - 06 Springfield rifle , and later a shotgun , with which they hunted pheasant , quail , and deer . After school , Kyle became a professional bronco rodeo rider , but his profession ended abruptly when he severely injured his arm . After his arm healed , he went to a military recruiting office , interested in joining the United States Marine Corps ( USMC ) . A Navy recruiter told him about the Navy SEALs . Kyle signed up , but was rejected because of the pins in his arm . A little while later , he received a call and he had the chance to go to BUD / S ( Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL school ) , finally joining the United States Navy in 1999 . Career . Military service . Iraq War . Assigned to SEAL Team 3 , Sniper Element Charlie platoon within the Naval Special Warfare Command , and with over four tours of duty , Kyle served in many major battles of the Iraq War . His first long - range kill shot was taken during the initial invasion , when he shot a woman approaching a group of Marines with a hand grenade in her hand . As ordered , he opened fire , killing the woman before she could attack . For his deadly track record as a marksman during his deployment to Ramadi , the insurgents named him " Shaitan Ar - Ramadi " ( English : " The Devil of Ramadi " ) , and put a $ 20 , 000 bounty on his head that was later increased to $ 80 , 000 . In 2008 , outside Sadr City , he made his longest successful shot , after he spotted an insurgent with a rocket launcher near a US Army convoy at a range of . He fired a shot from his . 338 Lapua Magnum - chambered McMillan TAC - 338 sniper rifle , killing the insurgent as told in his book " American Sniper " . During four tours of duty in Iraq , Kyle was shot twice and caught up in six separate IED explosions . His other weapons included the Mk 12 sniper rifle , M4 carbine and a . 300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifle . Later work . Kyle left the US Navy in 2009 and moved to Midlothian , Texas , with his wife , Taya , and two children . He was President of Craft International until his death . Craft is a tactical training company for the US military and Law Enforcement communities . In 2012 , Harper Collins released Kyle ' s autobiographical book " American Sniper " . Kyle also paired with FITCO Cares Foundation , a non - profit organization which created the Heroes Project to provide free in - home fitness equipment , individualized programs , personal training , and life - coaching to in - need veterans with disabilities , Gold Star families , or those suffering from post - traumatic stress disorder . On August 13 , 2012 , Kyle appeared on the reality television show " Stars Earn Stripes " , which features celebrities pairing up with a special operations or law enforcement professional who will train them in weapons and combat tactics . Kyle was teamed with actor Dean Cain . Alleged confrontation with Jesse Ventura . In interviews with both the " Opie and Anthony Show " and Bill O ' Reilly in January 2012 , Kyle claimed to have punched former Minnesota Governor and UDT member Jesse Ventura at a bar in Coronado , California in 2006 during a wake for Mike Monsoor , a Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient who had been killed in Iraq the same year . Kyle claimed that Ventura was " bad - mouthing the war , bad - mouthing ( former President ) Bush , bad - mouthing America " and that Ventura said the SEALs " deserved to lose a few guys " . In a subsequent interview , Ventura denied that he was punched by Kyle , saying that he never met Kyle nor even heard of him . Ventura also adamantly denied saying any derogatory remarks about the military . Ventura filed a lawsuit against Kyle for defamation in court . Despite Kyle ' s death in February 2013 , Ventura announced he would continue his lawsuit by adding Kyle ' s estate to the lawsuit . Death . On Saturday , February 2 , 2013 , Kyle and a companion , Chad Littlefield , were shot and killed at the Rough Creek Ranch - Lodge - Resort shooting range in Erath County , Texas by 25 - year - old fellow veteran Marine Eddie Ray Routh , whom Kyle and Littlefield had purportedly taken to the gun range in an effort to help him with what they were told by his mother was post traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) . Local police captured Routh after a short freeway chase , which ended when Routh , who had left the scene of the shootings in Kyle ' s Ford F - 350 truck , crashed into a police cruiser . Routh was arrested just before 9 p . m . the same day in Lancaster , Texas . Erath County sheriffs said the motive for the killing was unclear . Routh , from Lancaster , was arraigned February 2 , 2013 , on two counts of capital murder , according to Sgt . Lonny Haschel of the Texas Department of Public Safety . He was taken to the Erath County Jail for holding under a $ 3 million bond . A memorial service was held for Kyle at AT & T Stadium in Arlington , Texas , on February 11 , 2013 . Kyle was buried on February 12 , 2013 , in Texas State Cemetery , Austin , Texas , after a funeral procession from Midlothian , Texas , to Austin , stretching over 200 miles . Hundreds of local and out of state residents lined Interstate 35 to view the procession and pay their final respects to Kyle .