AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday he is declaring Feb. 2 "Chris Kyle Day" in Texas.
He made the announcement to the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in Austin. His announcement was accompanied by messages on Twitter and Facebook.
Kyle was a Navy SEAL and sniper who did four tours in Iraq. He is considered the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.
His autobiography, 'American Sniper,' was adapted into a movie in 2014 in which he was played by Bradley Cooper. The film has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Kyle and his neighbor Chad Littlefield were killed Feb. 2, 2013 at a North Texas gun range. The suspect in the deaths, former Marine Eddie Routh, is facing murder charges in Erath County.
Abbott will sign an official proclamation on Monday at the Texas State Capitol.
