Chris Kyle, highly-decorated U.S. Navy SEAL (retired) and author of the best-selling book American Sniper: an Autobiography was shot dead yesterday at a Texas gun range where he was helping other veterans. The suspected shooter was Eddie Ray Routh, 25, a former marine who was suffering from PTSD. Also killed by Routh was Kyle’s friend Chad Littlefield. Read Related Story from KHOU.com.

Kyle served four tours-of-duty in the Middle East. Kyle served in every major battle in Operation Iraqi Freedom. While deployed in Iraq, Kyle was so feared that insurgents named him Al-Shaitan Ramad (“The Devil of Rahmadi”), and put a $20,000 bounty on his head — later increased to $80,000. In 2008 outside Sadr City, Kyle made a 2,100-yard shot, killing an insurgent who was armed with a rocket launcher. Kyle was using a PGM 338 rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.

During his military service, Kyle was awarded two silver stars, five bronze stars, and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation and Achievement Medals. Following his combat deployments, Kyle became chief instructor for training Naval Special Warfare Sniper and Counter-Sniper teams, and he authored the Naval Special Warfare Sniper Doctrine, the first Navy SEAL sniper manual. Kyle is survived by his wife and two children.