American Sniper Chris Kyle remembered
NEW YORK - Feb. 2, 2020 will mark seven years since "American Sniper" Chris Kyle was killed. He was 38-years-old.
Kyle was a United States Navy SEAL and considered to be the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. He was also the subject of the blockbuster film "American Sniper".
Kyle's hometown was the Fort Worth, Texas suburb of Midlothian. He was killed at a North Texas gun range by a former Marine. Kyle was trying to help the veteran when he was murdered.
In 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared Feb. 2 as "Chris Kyle Day" in his state to honor the late sniper and the following year he declared the day as "Texas Military Heroes Day."
"We thank all Texans who have served our country," Abbott said on Facebook.
Kyle served for tours in the Iraq War with 160 confirmed kills. He was a U.S. Navy SEAL from 1999 to 2009.
In August, Governor Abbott presented the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Kyle's wife, Taya. It's the state's highest military honor.
"We can never repay the debt we owe for the lives Chris Kyle saved and the freedom that he helped preserve for the U.S., but we can honor Chris Kyle’s memory, his patriotism, his inspiration, his sacrifice. For his remarkable valor, Chris Kyle is more assuredly deserving of the state's most highest supreme military award," Abbott said.