Now There’s a Day in Texas Celebrating American Sniper Chris Kyle

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas is declaring Monday Chris Kyle Day in honor of the Navy SEAL sniper featured in the Oscar-nominated Clint Eastwood film.

“In honor of a Texas son, a Navy SEAL and an American hero – a man who defended his brothers and sisters in arms on and off the battlefield – I am declaring Feb. 2 Chris Kyle Day in Texas,” Abbott said Friday in a speech to the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars Mid-Winter Convention, KWTX-TV news reports.

Kyle is said to have been the deadiliest sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. He was shot to death in February 2013 at the age of 38 at a North Texas shooting range along with another veteran.

Iraq War veteran Eddie Ray Routh was charged in their deaths.

[KWTX-TV]