Dr. Matthew Willson British doctor killed by stray bullet while visiting Brookhaven, Atlanta family. Shooting determined to be random. No arrests.
A doctor from the UK was fatally shot by a stray bullet while visiting family outside of Atlanta early Sunday, according to reports.
Dr. Matthew Willson, 31, was struck in the head by the errant bullet circa 2am as he was sleeping at a relative’s apartment in Brookhaven, WXIA-TV reported, citing authorities.
Willson, of Chertsey, Surrey, England, was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators suspect the bullet came from somebody recklessly discharging a firearm in a nearby apartment.
Brookhaven Police said the shooting of Dr Willson, was ‘random’ and involved the ‘reckless discharge of firearms’.
‘He was visiting a loved one’
Sergeant Jacob Kissel told WSB-TV: ‘This was a senseless act – this was an innocent victim. She and her boyfriend were laying in bed. He was here visiting from England. He was visiting a loved one. He had just flown in to the Atlanta area.’
Officers had earlier been called to a neighbouring block of flats after reports of gunshots. They received a second call regarding a ‘person being shot’ while they were checking the area the BBC reported.
Sgt Jake Kissel from Brookhaven Police described the location of the shooting as ‘a generally safe area’.
Brookhaven, a suburb of Atlanta is widely regarded as one of the nicest places to live in Georgia.
Dr Willson had worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia State University for two years, having also worked at the University of Liege in Belgium. He had recently been living back in Britain.
Police have since appealed to the public to come forward with any information they may have.’
No arrests were made in the case of early Friday.
