With 255 kills, 160 of them officially confirmed by the Pentagon, Kyle is the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history.
Because of his track record as a marksman during his deployment to Ramadi, the insurgents named Kyle ‘Shaitan Ar-Ramadi’ (‘The Devil of Ramadi’).
The insurgents put a $20,000 bounty on his head that was increased to $80,000.
They posted signs highlighting the cross on his arm as a means of identifying him.
Kyle left the U.S. Navy in 2009, and moved to Midlothian, Texas, with his wife, Taya, and two children. In 2012 HarperCollins released Kyle’s autobiography, American Sniper.
The book had a 37-week run on The New York Times bestseller list and brought Kyle national attention. In his book, Kyle wrote bluntly of his experiences. He had no regrets about his work as a sharpshooter.
Kyle paired with FITCO Cares Foundation, a nonprofit organization which created the Heroes Project.
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 PTSD.
On February 2nd, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad had taken 25-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran Routh to the gun range in an effort to help him with his PTSD.
Routh had been in and out of mental hospitals for at least two years and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
On the way to the shooting range, Kyle texted Littlefield, ‘This dude is straight up nuts.’ Both Kyle and Littlefield were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge shooting range.
Both men 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.
A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11th, 2013.
He was buried on February 12th, 2013, at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, after the funeral cortege journeyed from Midlothian to Austin, more than 200 miles (320 km).
Thousands of people, many waving American flags, lined Interstate 35 to view the procession and pay their final respects to Kyle.