'American Sniper': What Happened in Real Life After the Movie Fades to Black
 

'American Sniper': What Happened in Real Life After the Movie Fades to Black

Jan 20, 2015, 3:12 PM ET

The record-breaking film "American Sniper" tells the story of soldier Chris Kyle's life, and while the movie was based on his autobiography, the ending changed after the production of the film had already started.

The film focuses largely on Kyle's four tours of duty and how his long list of targeted kills earned him the title of the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

For those who missed the original coverage, Kyle was killed in February 2013, four years after he was honorably discharged from the Navy.

The film, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper as Kyle, does not show the moment when the father-of-two was killed but it does show him leaving his home as he headed to the gun range where he was later fatally shot.

The film's epilogue then tells what happened to Kyle, but here are more details about the tragic day.

Breaking the Tragic News

In the years leading up to his death, Kyle had begun working with wounded veterans and, in some cases, he spent time with them on the shooting range. This particular session turned deadly.

"The suspect's mother, she may have reached out to Mr. Kyle to help her son, and we kind of have an idea that maybe that's why they were at the range for some type of therapy," Sheriff Tommy Bryant said at a news conference after the Feb. 2, 2013, shooting.

Marine Corps veteran Eddie Ray Routh, 25, was arrested after allegedly fatally shooting Kyle and Kyle's friend Chad Littlefield before fleeing the scene in Kyle's truck.

The Chilling 911 Call

Later, the frantic 911 call made by the shooter's sister and her husband revealed some details about what they believed made him snap.

Routh reportedly went to his sister Laura Blevins' house after the shooting. Once he left, she called 911, saying that her brother admitted to her that he killed two people at a shooting range, and she was terrified that he was going hurt her.

"He was recently diagnosed with PTSD. ... He just got out of a mental hospital last week," her husband Gaines Blevins said later on the call, referring to post traumatic stress disorder.

Routh's trial is set to begin next month.

Kyle's Widow's Emotional Eulogy

His funeral was held at the Cowboy's Stadium to allow for crowds and his wife Taya gave an emotional eulogy on stage.

"When you think you cannot do something, think again. Chris always said the body will do whatever the mind tells it to. I am counting on that now," she said. "I stand before you a broken woman but I am now and always will be the wife of a man who was a warrior both on and off the battlefield."

The film showed clips of the ceremony and Kyle's flag-draped coffin, but some of the most moving moments came when it showed how hundreds of people lined the sides of the interstate to salute the procession as the coffin was moved from the stadium to the Texas State Cemetery about 200 miles away.

Chris Kyle AND his neighbor Chad Littlefield were killed.

Admirable that Kyle would help a few veteran BUT the veteran, " was recently diagnosed with PTSD. ... He just got out of a mental hospital last week,". Society likes to take weapons away from people with mental/emotional problems, yet he was taken to a gun range for therapy by Kyle.

The "killer" is due for trial this May 2015.

Still haven't peeped it, but want to. May catch a matinee this weekend.

:iagree: He was absolutely trying to do the right thing, but the killer was obviously a whack job. Personally I use going to the range for therapy as it allows me to focus on the task at hand and leave other stuff behind. That said, I wouldn't be handing a recently released mental patient a weapon.

Nobody ever told Kyle that he was in a mental hospital.

Yeah, I don't think that information was known to Kyle.

:iagree:

YGTBFKM


:sadangel::sadangel::issues::issues::shots::shots:

There, fixed it....tired of the PC, especially in this case....


AND watch the bastard beat the case through delays, hearings, trials, BS and drag it out for decades on our dime....

while the lawyers get job justification and WE pay to make super duper sure that bastard is guilty......and watch him duck out on a 'mental ' plea....

yeh, right.....trial in a month, to last a couple days, out back and shot in a day or two.....

this BS about MENTAL defense is just THAT, a NO GO in the court of common sense.....

:issues::sadangel::sadangel::shots:

When I was watching the movie I didn't know that he was killed, I almost cried at the end. :(
Sacrifice so much for your country, survive four tours, just to die on your homeland at the hands of a comrade.

It was REALLY hard watching that scene and knowing what was coming too.

I want to see the movie but I know it'll be a heart wrenched.:sadangel:

I haven't seen the movie, yet. However, knowing the story and hearing about the murder (when it happened), those were my thoughts, as well. Heartbreaking. :nonod:

A co-worker who saw it said an eerie quiet fell over the entire audience in the theatre. She described it as so silent, you could hear the proverbial mouse urinating on cotton.

Same way in the theater I saw it in, there is no music over the credits, so that played a part too.

Our station is located about 400 yards from where this guy is housed. Each time we have to respond to the jail, we walk right past Eddie Ray Routh's cell. He is of course locked up behind two doors and we rarely see or hear him. All the deputies I know as well as the jailers all say he is perfectly aware of what he did and hasn't denied anything.

From what I have been told, he will be convicted, 99.9% chance of it. The main question, will the punishment fit the crime. When he was first incarcerated, he would refuse to take any of his meds and the guy was a real basket case. Knowing what he had done was a major factor. Back on his meds now, he is a calmer person but anyone that comes in contact with him is instantly on edge as to be expected.

From what I understand, asking for the death penalty was ruled out because it was felt an insanity plea would defeat it. He will get life, I am just not real sure he deserves that much consideration.

The wife and I just returned from seeing the movie. Yes, the theater was very quiet at the end. The wife and I enjoyed the movie and the respect given for Chris Kyle.

:patriot:

Wow, that was intense. Great movie...

Seeing the tent city made me think of Balad. Also, you see the cargo the guy in the flight suit was messing with? The cargo even had side and top nets. :D

wife and I saw it last night....same eerie quiet at the end with no music playing. No one was talking as the theater emptied. Great flick even tho I knew what would come in the end. :seasix: