The night that began with laughter and celebration ended in tragedy, leaving behind a scene etched with violence and loss. It was early Saturday morning in Clarkston when bullets shattered the calm, piercing through windows while the victims sat inside, perhaps still caught up in the joy of the moment.
They might have been joking, reminiscing, or simply enjoying each other’s company, unaware that their lives were about to change forever. The serenity was shattered when two men emerged from a Jeep outside a local strip club, their intentions deadly and clear. Without warning, they opened fire on a vehicle parked nearby, where Gary Matthews, 31, was seated with three friends.
Gary, a native of Lithonia, was celebrating his birthday—a milestone meant for happiness and reflection. Instead, it became the tragic backdrop for a senseless act of violence. The barrage of gunfire was relentless, bullets tearing through the vehicle’s windows, puncturing the night with chaos and fear. In an instant, Matthews was struck, succumbing to his injuries right there on Brockett Road near U.S. 78 as sirens wailed in the distance. His friends' lives changed forever; one man was hit and fell to the ground, barely clinging to life, rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The other two women in the car were unharmed physically but traumatized by what they saw—witnesses to a friend’s death and a friend’s injury, all unfolding in the blink of an eye.
Police arrived just before 4 a.m., trying desperately to catch the fleeing suspects. The two shooters, driving a Jeep, sped away from the scene, attempting to escape justice. Officers gave chase but the vehicle slipped through their grasp, eventually abandoned and found later in the area. The suspects had vanished into the dark, leaving behind questions that would echo in the community for days. The women in the vehicle, though physically unharmed, carry the mental scars of witnessing such brutality—an image seared into their memories forever.
Clarkston police, with assistance from DeKalb County officers, are working tirelessly to piece together what led to this deadly shooting. As of now, motives remain unclear. There appears to be no known connection between the victims and the shooters, no apparent reason for the attack. The fact that the suspects remain at large fuels a sense of unease and frustration. Who they are, what prompted this violence, and whether it was targeted or random—all questions that remain unanswered.
Detective Feltman urges anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be left at 678-431-1472 or gfeltman@cityofclarkston.com. The community waits, hoping for justice, mourning the loss of a young man whose life was cut short on what should have been a night of celebration. Gary Matthews will never see another birthday, another moment with loved ones, another chance to chase his dreams. His death underscores the devastating reality of gun violence, a stark reminder of how quickly life can be taken in the blink of an eye.
This tragedy is a stark reminder that no one is immune to violence, and that behind every victim is a story—a family left behind, shattered and searching for answers. As the investigation continues, the hope remains that justice will be served, and that someday, the community can find peace amid the heartbreak.
