‘Heroic Brit in Syria killed himself to avoid IS capture’
AYOUNG Briton who died fighting alongside Kurdish forces in Syria killed himself to avoid falling hostage to Islamic State (IS) militants, an inquest heard.
A coroner said Ryan Lock, 20, from Chichester, West Sussex, died a hero last December fighting with the People’s Defence Units (YPG) in the northern city of Raqqa, considered to be IS’ de facto capital.
Former chef Mr Lock, who had no previous military experience, joined the Kurdish militia after telling his family he was going backpacking to Turkey in August last year.
An inquest in Portsmouth, Hampshire, heard that after being wounded and surrounded by IS fighters, he turned his gun on himself to avoid being captured and suffering a “frightening and painful death”.
Recording a narrative verdict, Portsmouth coroner David Horsley said Mr Lock had sustained a leg wound that left him at risk of falling into the hands of a “cruel and ruthless” enemy.
Mr Horsley said: “He was not prepared to let that happen and used his own weapon to avoid capture. That can only be viewed as a brave action.”
The coroner described Mr Lock as a “heroic young man” and added: “He died doing something he quite clearly believed passionately in.”
In the months before he died, Mr Lock had kept in touch with his family from Syria via Facebook Messenger, sending them pictures and updates on his military training.
But after losing contact with him, Mr Lock’s father Jon Plater found images online of his son with an IS fighter standing over his body, and his death was later confirmed, the inquest heard.
Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue said Mr Lock’s cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head.
Mr Lock flew from Luton to Istanbul on Flight KK6004 on August 24 before boarding a connecting flight to Iraq.
Mr Lock’s mother, Catherine Lock, told the inquest how her son had given few clues about his intentions to fight IS in Syria. She recalled him remarking how bad the situation was in Syria.
But Ms Lock said: “It wasn’t something he would constantly comment on, but he was quite a quiet person.”
Dozens of people, including members of the Kurdish community, held roses and framed pictures of Mr Lock at Heathrow Airport as his body was repatriated to the UK in February.
Mr Lock’s parents declined to comment following the hearing.