Jacob Kovco | |
|---|---|
 Private Kovco in uniform | |
| Born | 25 September 1980 Melbourne, Australia |
| Died | 21 April 2006 (aged 25) Baghdad, Iraq |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 2002–2006 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Iraq War |
Jacob Bruce "Jake" Kovco (25 September 1980 – 21 April 2006) was a private in the Australian Army who was killed while deployed to Iraq, fatally wounded by a single shot to the head from his own Browning 9mm sidearm. He was the first Australian soldier to die while deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations. A military inquiry found Private Kovco accidentally shot himself while mishandling his pistol. This conclusion was disputed by his family and on 2 April 2008, a second inquest returned a similar verdict, finding that his death was "irresponsibly self-inflicted", and that when he pulled his gun's trigger he "disregarded the possible consequences of danger".[1]
- ^ Coroner's Court of NSW, "Jake Kovko finding"