They go back and forth on what the number is. ... Or that many truths can be true at once. Why are simplistic patriots treating him as a hero? Subscribe now to get instant access to the real story behind Chris Kyle, in this issue of PEOPLE. In researching the American Sniper true story, we learned that by the Pentagon's count, U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle had at least 160 confirmed kills during four tours in Iraq between 2003 and 2009 (TIME.com). Criticing the American Sniper movie might be a political quagmire, much like the Iraq War, but here goes nothing. Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL marksman whose autobiography ‘American Sniper’ became a bestseller and was made into … The real American Sniper was a hate-filled killer. I guess that's true. The war drama, which racked up a surprising 6 Oscar nominations—including Best Picture—collected a … Chris Kyle, fifth from top left, was the most celebrated sniper in American history. He takes Kyle to a support group of disabled veterans, many of whom have lost limbs. The doctor tells him that there are American troops who could use his help at home. Always meet your heroes. This is the same number that is stated in the American Sniper movie. One week, it's 160 (the 'official' number as of this writing, for what that's worth), then it's way higher, then it's somewhere in between. His killer, Eddie Ray Routh, may have been suffering from undiagnosed schizophrenia. American Sniper grossed $517m worldwide, overtaking Saving Private Ryan to become the highest-grossing war movie ever. Learn the real-life story of Chris Kyle, the late Navy SEAL sharpshooter portrayed in the Oscar-nominated film “American Sniper.” Hollywood is a business, and as with the goal of any business, their objective is to generate profit. Chris Kyle and ‘American Sniper’ 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle did not shoot dozens of Hurricane Katrina looters, kill two attempted carjackers, and punch Jesse Ventura in the face. "American Sniper is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. The movie industry does so through visual story telling. The Navy credits me with more kills as a sniper than any other American service member, past or present. Chris Kyle Biography. The men share their stories, and Kyle decides to take some of the men out to a shooting range and teach them to shoot sniper rifles. Whichever story you choose to believe, one thing is for certain, the real American Sniper was no hero.