Pau admitted: "Although the information on the DD214 should match the official records, the process involves people and inevitably some errors may occur.". The jury returned the verdict after fewer than three hours of deliberations. Some critics say the film, based on the life of the late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, glorifies war. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Chris Kyle was such a skilled marksman that he killed an enemy fighter 1.2 miles - 21 football fields - away with a single shot. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. It was the worlds eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper, reports D Magazine. He pumped iron with a trainer twice a day, five days a week, for months. He first started shooting as a child to help get food. [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. The film, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on Kyles autobiography. [16], Hathcock's record stood until Canadian sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310m (2,530yd). Since prosecutors decided beforehand not to seek the death penalty, the trial judge, Jason Cashon, immediately sentenced Routh to life in prison with no possibility of parole. After a trial in which jurors heard . It was the world's eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper, reports D Magazine. Landing a shot at this distance requires not only intimate knowledge of how your weapon handles, but ariflecapable of reliably performing at that level. [citation needed], Devices such as laser rangefinders, handheld meteorological measuring equipment, handheld computers, and ballistic-prediction software can contribute to increased accuracy (i.e. 6,000: Approximate number of calories Cooper was eating per day while training for the film. SGT Kremer's 2,515-yard (1.43 miles) shot narrowly edged out Gunnery Sergeant Hathcock for number four on this list. On Sept. 13, the sharp report of a rifle shot echoed across the western Wyoming desert near Jackson Hole. [19], A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11, 2013. Since the identity of the shooter is uncertain, some people argue that this shot shouldnt even qualify as a record. And by doing his job so well, better than anyone in his countrys history, he saved many American lives.. . And invaders r worse.. . Two soldiers fired off simultaneously using the same weapons and ammo and, while the target was definitely eliminated, no one is sure which shooter was responsible for the kill. "[9] Four months later, while he was in his jail cell, Routh shared with former Erath County Sheriff's Deputy Gene Cole: "I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. This record-breaking shot took down an Islamic State insurgent in 2004, but few other details have been disclosed. The bullet left the rifle muzzle at 3,300 feet per second and traveled 4.4 miles, slowing to 689 feet per second when it hit the target, over 24.5 seconds after being fired.. No name in sniper history is more revered than that of Carlos Hathcock, who in 1967 engaged and killed an enemy fighter from 2,286 meters. "The things they would do - beheadings, dragging Americans through the streets alive, the things they would do to little boys and women just to keep them terrified and quiet That part is easy. He is widely regarded as the deadliest sniper in U.S. history. On June 22, 2017 the Globe and Mail reported that two snipers assigned to Joint Task Force 2, Canada's elite special forces unit, had shot an Islamic State fighter in Iraq at a distance of 3,540 . During the interview, Kyle also talks about the $20,000 bounty that was put on his head and the heads of his fellow . [19] The list also shows that, in some cases, an armed force command may choose to withhold the name of the sniper for security reasons. The distance at play made it particularly difficult to account for bullet drop, or the phenomenon of a fired projectile being dragged down by gravity over the course of its trajectory. AP. The release of the film American Sniper . Theyre just targets. 20: Number of months it took Cooper and the production to close a deal with Kyle. The South African National Defense Force kept this sniper kill quiet and people didnt hear about it for nearly a year afterwards. Snipers in modern warfare have had a long history since the development of long distance weaponry. The record now belongs to a team led by Scott Austin and Shepard Humphries of Nomad Rifleman. [citation needed], USMC Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock's confirmed 2,286m (2,500yd) kill in the Vietnam War was primarily due to the enemy soldier stopping his bicycle on the spot Hathcock had fired at while sighting in his Browning M2 heavy machine-gun. It wasnt the first time something in Kyles book was questioned. Gunnery Sgt. A Canadian special forces sniper has broken the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in US military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed by former Marine Eddie Ray Routh at a Texas shooting range. His sole mission in Iraq was to protect his fellow servicemen - his 'boys' who hailed him as "The Legend" for saving countless lives. ], The modern method of long-distance sniping (shots over 1,100m or 0.7mi) requires intense training and practice. By the end of Kyle's career, he had earned two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars. But it's likely the number was far higher, as he had 255 claimed kills - where a shot hits the target, but a fatality cannot be confirm during battle. A third shot took out the insurgents' machine gun. [6] Any given combination of firearm and ammunition will have an associated value, known as the circular error probable (CEP), defined as the radius of a circle whose boundary is expected to contain the impact points of half of the rounds fired. But then again, as Kyle showed us, some of the most important shots are those that beat the odds. Corporal Rob Furlong, who was in the same military unit as Arron Perry, was an ambitious type from the start, and he even taught himself to use a rifle ambidextrously! But by then Kyle had become a controversial figure. With his "boys" approaching, Kyle aimed and killed him with his McMillan TAC-338 sniper rifle from about 2,100 yards (1.2 miles) away. It was the world's eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper. . And by doing his job so well, better than anyone in his countrys history, he saved many American lives.. You dont think of the people you kill as people. When asked whether he regretted fatally shooting men and women, he told D Magazine: I regret the people I couldnt kill before they got to my boys. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration. Sgt. As with the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan Tac-50 with .50 BMG ammunition was used.[1][2][3]. Photo illustration by Slate. American Sniper, his brutal and graphic book about his life, became abestseller in 2012 and the film was optioned shortly afterwards. Published 17:53, 25 August 2021 BST. No American has been more associated with the Navy SEAL mystique than Chris Kyle, known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle used a McMillan Tac-338, chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, to kill an . For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, US hero Chris Kyle was a sharpshooter who served in Iraq, He was nicknamed the Devil of Ramadi by terrified Iraqi insurgents, Chris Kyle pictured with with his wife, Taya, in 2012. He had been shot six times with a .45-caliber pistol, one of the bullets piercing his aorta. Here is the entire draft filing he's going to hit them with. Of the five longest known sniper kills in military history, Canadians accounted for three of them at the time of this writing. Hathcock held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill for 35 years. One of the gunshot wounds was to the top of the head, indicating it was likely fired while Littlefield was already on the ground. Then there is the Coriolis Effect, which requires snipers to account for hemispheric drift. But in 2017, Ventura confirmed the defamation case had been settled. It needs to be stressed just how difficult it is to land a shot under these circumstances. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth", "Details announced for Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's memorial service at Cowboys Stadium", "Residents Line I-35 to Pay Respects to Slain Navy SEAL", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Chris_Kyle_and_Chad_Littlefield&oldid=1135122116, Chris Kyle (April 8, 1974 February 2, 2013), age 38. Despite their powerful and highly specialized equipment, asnipersreal professional bread and butter are the series of complex calculations that go into each shot. They started a row based on Kyle himself, arguing that his actions were not those of a hero, but a trigger-happy coward, reported The Sun on Sunday in 2015. Others . in this video, i'm shooting McmMillan TAC338 rifle (chambered in 338 Lapua Magnum cartridge & loaded with BlackHills Sierra 300 gr MK ammo) using a sniper si. Confirmed hit! they said in a call to the shooters. If trusted members of the community like Paul Phillips and Brian Litz go out shooting and say they hit a rock that was about 10 feet in diameter at 3 miles, the community counts it as a hit. Navy records show that he earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with Valor, Nicholas Ranstad still holds the record for the longest shot made by a US sniper, their conditions didnt improve following a peace treaty signed with the government, and have committed all kinds of atrocities including using child soldiers, He first started shooting as a child to help get food, took down an Iraqi insurgent in 2004 with the longest confirmed sniper kill shot made by a US soldier, Arron Perrys record-breaking shot was broken by another soldier in his same unit, fine details that go into lining up the perfect sniper shot, from the direction of the wind to the shooters breathing, he felt totally abandoned by his regiment once he developed PTSD, while the target was definitely eliminated, no one is sure which shooter was responsible for the kill, This especially holds true when it comes to details of personal identity and how the task was carried out. The McMillan TAC-338 is a specialized sniper rifle made to "exact" specifications with long range lethality and precision in mind, explains Military Factory. 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. Two years after being recorded, the longest sniper kill shot remains one of the greatest feats ever performed in military history. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post . They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. This example ignores all other factors and assumes no-wind shooting conditions, identical muzzle velocities, and identical ballistic performance for each shot. Kyle described punching out a man, later identified as Ventura, whom he said made offensive remarks about Navy Seals. This article first appeared in December 2020. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Lt. Jackie Pau, a Navy spokeswoman, told the AP that Kyles military personnel file stated he received one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. Jurors in 2014 awarded former Minnesota Gov. And boy is it a space-aged piece of beauty!, World Record Extreme Long Range Shot 4.4 Mileshttps://t.co/1aHENBmrH9#longrangeshooting #NomadRifleman #firearm #gun #guns #firearms #freedom #firearmsnews #gunnews #2anews #2a #2ndamendment #secondamendment #pew #shootingrange #shooting #shootingsports #rifle #thegunbulletin pic.twitter.com/MxgihiVFU2, TheGunBulletin (@TheGunBulletin) September 22, 2022. Chris Kyle was such a skilled marksman that he killed an enemy fighter 1.2 miles - 21 football fields - away with a single shot. WE HAVE OUR FIRST HIT! Even after being severely burned during an attack on an Amtrac on which he was riding in his efforts to rescue other soldiers, and after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Hathcock continued to serve, shoot and instruct. Henderson . When Winston pulled the trigger, the rifles loud report reverberated across the valley. 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. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, US hero Chris Kyle was a sharpshooter who served in Iraq, He was nicknamed the Devil of Ramadi by terrified Iraqi insurgents, Chris Kyle pictured with with his wife, Taya, in 2012. This story has been shared 135,794 times. Feb. 13, 2015, 3:58 PM PST / Updated Feb. 13, 2015, 3:04 PM PST. He has said that his overall experience eroded his trust in the armed forces. ), the release said. Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, Iraq War; Distance: 1,920 m (6,300 ft) Weapon: McMillan Tac-338 . Former CNN host and anti-Iraq war campaigner Piers Morgan, however,defended the man behind the movie, saying: Chris Kyle, American Sniper, was NOT a coward. What was Chris Kyles longest sniper shot? Chris Kyles accomplishments were described in his bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, but the details werent all accurate: In the book, Kyle is said to have earned two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars, but Navy records show that he earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with Valor. He had a $20,000 bounty for his death. He pulled the trigger and watched through his scope as the Iraqi, 2,100 yards away, fell off the roof. After the killings, Routh went to his sister's house in Midlothian and told her what he had done. Carlos Hathcock taking aim in Vietnam. American Sniper was about his military service from 1999 to 2009. Honestly, most shots made at distances north of 1500 meters (~1600 yards) unless the shooter, rifle and ammunition is specifically trained and configured for use at that range and extensive practice is done, are misses. Chris Kyle's longest shot was taken against an enemy fighter in Iraq. The rifle used was made by Accuracy International. Kyle, 38, was shot to death Saturday - by a former Marine, police say - while shooting for fun on a Texas gun range. It was . AMERICA'S deadliest sniper, Navy Seal marksman Chris Kyle, had at least 160 confirmed kills in Iraq by the Pentagons official count. In 2017, a sniper from Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2) neutralized an . Later, Kyle called it a "really, really lucky shot." Chris Kyle didn't fit the stereotype of the sullen, lone wolf sniper. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration. With Bradley Cooper, Kyle Gallner, Cole Konis, Ben Reed. The group added, In the extreme long range shooting community, there isnt an official standard for records. As a SEAL, he was shot twice and survived 6 IED explosions. [2], Murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield, "The fatal intersection of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and the Marine veteran who killed him", "Chad Littlefield, 1977-2013: The Other Shooting-Range Victim", "Inside the Tortured Mind of Eddie Ray Routh, the Man Who Killed American Sniper Chris Kyle", "Noted sniper slain at Erath County gun range", "Man charged in fatal shooting of ex-SEAL/author", "Chris Kyle's Widow Breaks Down on the Stand and the Chilling Text Message", "Author of 'American Sniper' among the dead at Rough Creek", "Ex-SEAL Chris Kyle remembered after shooting death", "At 'American Sniper' murder trial, a psychosis defense", "Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in 'American Sniper' Trial", "Jury finds Eddie Ray Routh guilty in 'American Sniper' case", "Chris Kyle Funeral Procession Arrives in Austin. Jesse Ventura $500,000 for defamation and $1.3million for unjust enrichment in a trial over a passage in Kyles book that Ventura claimed was a complete fabrication. American Sniper subject Chris Kyle shot dozens of looters after Hurricane Katrina, killed two attempted carjackers, and punched Jesse Ventura in the face. Known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history, Navy Seal Chris Kyle, who served during the Iraq War, has become renowned as the American Sniper. His feat was especially impressive considering how unlikely it was for the maximum effective range of the weapon he used. Reports regarding the longest recorded sniper kill that contain information regarding the shooting distance and the identity of the sniper have been presented to the general public since 1967. EDIT: A Lapua .338 You can see the photograph of the actual rifle, in the book. Rifle in hand, the team also needed a custom load. Shepards wife and expert shooter Lynn Sherwood-Humphries, Joel Austin, Tony Molina, Mick Cestia and Wade Woodhouse served as the forward spotters from the steel bunker near the target. Before his murder in 2013 at 38, the so-called deadliest sniper in American history nurtured a comic book narrative. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. This impressive sniper shot was one of several heroic acts that Navy SEAL Chris Kyle was commended for. ', The honor of taking the impressive shot would fall to a friend of Austin and Humphries who has a great trigger finger and smart analytical business mind. He agreed to it on the condition of anonymity, according to the release, which referred to him as Winston.. The shot was nearly 800 yards further than the previous longest sniper shot in history, perhaps aided by the soldier utilizing match-grade Hornady ammunition. He was murdered the next year, Chris Kyle, ex US Navy SEAL sniper who was responsible for 160 kills during his career, Hollywood hunk Bradley Cooper starred in the movie version of the book, American Sniper was based on Chris Kyle's four tours of duty in Iraq. By Ian Aldrich Updated: Aug 10, 2020 Typically enemy soldiers were paid anywhere from $8 to $2,000 for taking down an American sniper. Navy Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle holds the record for most confirmed kills by a sniper. A thirty-five year old, happily married father of four: Matt was raised in New Jersey and moved to Arizona in 06'. 300 Winchester Magnum for most of deployments, his most famous and longest shot was taken with a McMillan-built TAC-338. The rebels grew angry after they felt that their conditions didnt improve following a peace treaty signed with the government, and have committed all kinds of atrocities including using child soldiers. As a well known SEAL, Chris Kyle became the most lethal sniper in U.S. history and left a lasting legacy by protecting the U.S. marine's lives with overwatch protection. [4], Corporal Furlong's record was bested by a British soldier, Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, of the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, who recorded two consecutive 2,475m (2,707yd) shots (confirmed by GPS) in November 2009, also during the War in Afghanistan, in which he hit two Taliban insurgents consecutively. The Tac-50 revolutionized the global small arms scene following its introduction in 2000, successfully blending the reach and stopping power of an anti-materiel rifle (AMR) with the accuracy of a standard military-grade sniper rifle. Any one of these factors requires careful attentionall of them combined make for an immensely difficult shot, which explains why updated records in this category have proven relatively rare in recent decades. Matt covers politics, faith, history and news. Conan O'Brien Chris Kyle Interview. D Mag says that, "while on the sniper rifle, Kyle had to do complicated math, accounting for wind speed, the spin of a bullet, and the curvature and rotation of the Earth. With his "boys" approaching, Kyle aimed and killed him with his McMillan TAC-338 sniper rifle from about 2,100 yards (1.2 miles) away. Pau admitted: "Although the information on the DD214 should match the official records, the process involves people and inevitably some errors may occur.". Even the most basic of sniper kills are impressive feats, and things get progressively more difficult with targets who are further away. But Ventura said it didnt come from Kyles widow or his estate, and that he didnt get an apology. Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL sniper and the most lethal sniper in American history who became famous after publishing his bestselling autobiography 'American Sniper' in 2012. [4], On February 2, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, 35, were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas. After leaving the military (at the rank of Chief Petty Officer) in 2009, Kyle returned home and became a leading figure in helping former military members that suffered from PTSD transition to civilian life. It wasnt the first time something in Kyles book was questioned. He was buried on February 12, 2013, at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, after the funeral cortege journeyed from Midlothian to Austin, more than 200 miles (320km). In a reversal, Biden said he would sign a resolution blocking a D.C. effort to reduce penalties for violent crimes. As previously mentioned, the finer points of Special Forces . 4: Tours of duty Kyle served in Iraq from 2003 to 2009. I'm sure they've forgiven me."[6]. He spotted a man on a roof, who initially didn't appear to be carrying a weapon - but hours later, a further check revealed the insurgent was clutching a possible RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). But by then Kyle had become a controversial figure. His longest kill was 1.2 miles shot with his Lapua .338 Magnum . His skills with a rifle were . The Tac-50s .50 caliber round can hypothetically travel as far as five miles under ideal circumstances, though landing a shot at that range would prove extraordinarily difficult in real operating conditions. Mark Episkopos is the new national security reporter for the National Interest. The kill was one of . The reported kill shot was corroborated through video footage and subsequently confirmed by Canadas Armed Forces (CAF): The Canadian Special Operations Command can confirm that a member of Joint Task Force 2 successfully hit a target at 3,540 metres, read a CAF statement. View our online Press Pack. sniper Chris Kyle's (Bradley Cooper's) pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend.