Col. Charles Askins, Heroic Law Officer, or Homicidal Maniac?

My Dad died. He left a chest with all his hunting stuff in it. My knuckle dragging brother of course, had no interest in the books. So I got all the gun/hunting books. I read about this cop/soldier called Colonel Charles Askins. He was a Border Patrolman. He shot people like crazy. He shot people all the time. He was proud of it. Today, it's a rare cop who has shot someone. Col. Askins claimed he shot 27 men AS A COP. World War Two was another matter. And he was all proud of all his shootings, and told them all in intimate detail, and with great gusto. Was this guy a hero, or a homicidal maniac?