A British astrophysicist killed in the US told his terrified girlfriend a volley of gunfire was just people “messing around” – moments before a bullet killed him.
Homicide detectives in Atlanta, Georgia, say the shot was fired up to 300ft away to where Dr Matthew Willson was hit in the head.
The bullet had travelled through the exterior wall of a block of flats before striking the Brit, 31, as he was in bed with his girlfriend, Katherine Shepard.
The 26-year-old American has told how she cradled him in her arms as he died.
Ms Shepard, who had dated Dr Willson, from Chertsey, Surrey, for three years, said: “He was supposed to be here for three months because we’ve been long distance for a while.
“I picked him up from the airport, took him to his favourite eating location – and the next day he’s gone.”
She said she remains “in disbelief” over the tragedy.
Recalling the harrowing moment last week she added: “I turned to Matthew and said, ‘I’m going to call the cops.’
“His last words were, ‘Sure, I’m sure they are just messing around.’
“I was kneeling on my bed looking out of the window to see if I could see anything. I felt the bed move, Matt was possibly getting up, and there was a tiny explosion in our room.
“Then I heard Matt’s breathing change and I asked if he was OK.”
Ms Shepard said she turned on the light, adding: “He had started to slump over. I saw he’d been shot in the head and started screaming.
“I knelt on the bed holding a towel to his head and talking to him and shaking him whenever he started closing his eyes. He looked like he was looking at me, but he wasn’t talking at all and he was struggling to breathe.
“I just felt panic. While we were waiting for the ambulance there were more gunshots fired.”
Her flatmate, Aman Kar, called 911 immediately, but by the time an ambulance arrived 20 minutes later Dr Willson was unresponsive.
He was pronounced dead in a local hospital a short time later.
An Atlanta police spokesman said: “We do not believe this is gang-related. We believe this is a random act of individuals discharging firearms recklessly. No arrests have been made. The area is considered a generally safe area. We don’t typically deal with a whole lot of gun violence.”
The Foreign Office said it was “supporting the family of a British man following his death”.
