Marquel Peters was attending a service with his family in Decatur, near Atlanta city in Georgia, when he suddenly fell to the floor.

His parents initially had no idea what had caused the gaping wound in his head.

His mother, Nathalee, held her son in her arms until paramedics arrived.

X-rays confirmed he had been hit by a bullet but doctors were unable to save the young child.

DeKalb police spokesman Jason Gagnon told news channel WSB-TV it appeared the projectile came through the roof.

Some of the congregation at the Church of God of Prophecy said they had heard a popping and saw debris falling from the ceiling before the boy collapsed.

Former ballistics expert Kelly Fite was quoted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper as saying the bullet had most likely come from an AK-47 assault rifle.

The shooter probably fired into the sky and could have been as far as two or three miles away, he said.

Marquel's mum urged whoever fired the gun to go to the police. "He was my only child," she said.

It is believed the bullet may have been shot into the air as part of New Year celebrations.

Marquel's uncle Garry Peters told the paper: "They can't just get out there and shoot. What are you celebrating? You're out there killing people."