Stray bullet kills English astrophysicist visiting Atlanta

A stray bullet struck and killed and English astrophysicist while he was inside an Atlanta-area apartment, and police say the death was the result of reckless gunfire by random individuals.Matthew Willson, 31, of Chertsey, Surrey, England, was shot once in the head while laying in bed, Brookhaven police announced Thursday.

A stray bullet struck and killed and English astrophysicist while he was inside an Atlanta-area apartment, and police say the death was the result of “reckless” gunfire by random individuals.

Matthew Willson, 31, of Chertsey, Surrey, England, was shot once in the head while laying in bed, Brookhaven police announced Thursday. The shooting happened early Sunday morning.

Willson was in Brookhaven visiting his girlfriend, Katherine Shepard. She told WSB-TV that the bullet came through the wall of her apartment, from a neighbouring apartment complex. She called 911.

“I held him for another 20 minutes while we waited for the ambulance,” she said. “And while we were waiting, there were more gunshots fired.” Willson was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

Police said the shooting appeared to be a “random act involving individuals participating in the reckless discharge” of a gun or guns.

No arrests have been announced.