Sniper Chris Kyle Killed on Gun Range

Anti-gun advocates are going to try to make fodder out of the fact that America's top sniper was killed on a gun range, but if I'm correct they are as inaccurate in their assessment as Chris was accurate in his sniping. There are no details of the shooting, but I'm going to speculate that Chris never saw what was coming. 

I belong to a gun club where the range safety rules are CLEAR and STRICT. When on a rifle range, there is always a range officer in charge.  If an official club officer is there, they are in charge. If a club officer is not there, the first person on the range becomes the range officer. Every member of the club is trained in range safety rules and procedures before they are accepted into the club.

The range officer declares the range either hot or cold and there is a red and green light that is used along with the verbal commands.  When a range is hot, there is no one down range and people can load and shoot.

A range is cold when it is time to set and/or check targets. At that point the range officer declares the range cold and tell as shooters to cease fire and make guns safe.  He is responsible to make sure all people have stopped shooting, removed their magazines, cleared the chambers, and placed the guns on the table next to them in an open, safe position.  When the range is cold, you can't even handle ammunition to load a magazine.

Only then does the range officer declare that it is safe to go down range to check targets.  Those doing so, go down range unarmed.  My guess is that Chris Kelly and Chad Littlefield were going down range, UNARMED, when the alleged murderer, Eddie Ray Routh, opened fire in violation of gun club safety rules, as well as state and federal laws.

I would not at all be surprised to find that one or both of them were shot in the back.

Once again, this is NOT a gun control issue. It is a MENTAL HEALTH issue. 

Just my two cents!

UPDATE 2/5/13 - As I speculated, this appear to be more of a mental health issue than a gun issue. Kyle was trying to help a PTSD victim, something he had done in the past.  As a sniper, his kills of insurgents most certainly saved hundreds of U.S. lives. To try to use this tragedy into an anti-gun agenda item does a disservice to Chris and all those who serve our country.