Suspect arrested in murder of Migos’ star Takeoff, Houston police say
“Hundreds of people I talked to spoke to what a great individual he was,” Houston police chief says of slain rapper
Houston Police have revealed that a suspect has been arrested in the murder of Takeoff, the rapper who was a part of the hip-hop trio Migos.
The suspect Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, now faces a murder charge, law enforcement told the press on Friday afternoon, The Daily Beast reported.
Kirshnik Khari Ball, the artist known as Takeoff, was shot to death during a shootout in downtown Houston, Texas, on 1 November at the age of 28.
He was struck twice, with one bullet hitting him in the head and another in the arm and torso, according to an autopsy report.
Footage from the moments before his death shows that Takeoff was hanging out with his uncle and fellow group member Quavo, who was arguing about basketball before gunshots could be heard, prompting the person filming the video to flee.
A man in all black was spotted holding and drawing a gun before the gunshots. Houston Police said last month that that person was of interest but didn’t identify him, according to The Daily Beast. It’s not clear if this was Mr Clark.
Videos and photos of the altercation went viral while official updates on the investigation stopped coming during the following weeks.
Two others were injured in the shooting, with no new information being announced for quite some time.
Law enforcement was unwilling to share who had attended a Halloween party ahead of the shooting until 22 November, when it was revealed that police had arrested Cameron Isiah Joshua, 22, for allegedly having a weapon illegally at the gathering.
He was arrested after he was allegedly seen on surveillance footage carrying the weapon. Prosecutors have said they don’t think it was Mr Joshua who fired the shots that killed Takeoff. They said Mr Joshua being charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon was “appropriate”.
“We lost a good man,” Police Chief Troy Finner said on Friday, according to The Daily Beast. “Hundreds of people I talked to spoke to what a great individual he was.”
Police have said the murder came as a result of a “lucrative dice game,” but that Takeoff was an “innocent bystander”.
“Wrong place at the wrong time,” Chief Finner added. “No evidence to say anything different.”
Chief Finner said police had a hard time getting information about the shooting because witnesses quickly left the area and didn’t provide statements to the authorities. The chief added that Mr Clark was arrested on the basis of forensic evidence and cellphone footage.
Police said earlier that bullet casings from two firearms were collected from the area.
The shooting occurred outside 810 Billiards & Bowling at around 2.30am.