Rapper Takeoff, one-third of the Grammy-nominated group Migos, was shot and killed in Houston early Tuesday. He was 28.
Houston police identified Takeoff as the fatal victim of a downtown shooting outside 810 Billiards and Bowling.
- The rapper, whose real name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, was in Houston with Quavo — Takeoff’s uncle and another member of Migos — celebrating the birthday of Jas Prince, a music promoter.
- Instagram clips posted by Quavo hours before the shooting show him driving around Houston.
Details: Authorities say the Takeoff was part of private party of about 40 people at 810 Billiards and Bowling. Sgt. Michael Arrington said an argument took place outside the business, leading to the shooting.
- Authorities said at least two guns were involved in the shooting.
- Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner and Mayor Sylvester Turner asked witnesses to come forward with information on anyone involved in Takeoff’s death.
- Quavo was not injured, Chron.com reports.
- An HPD spokesperson told Axios a call for a shooting at 1199 San Jacinto St. came in at 2:40 a.m. The caller reported hearing gunshots and seeing people running.
- HPD tweeted updates on a shooting near that address that said two other people were shot and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
- 810 Billiards and Bowling told Axios that the investigation has the business’ “full cooperation.”
The big picture: Takeoff was the youngest member of the rap group formed in 2008 in Georgia, their home state. The group is responsible for hits like “Stir Fry,” “Bad and Boujee” and “Walk It Talk It.”
- In recent months, Quavo and Takeoff started making music without Offset, the final member of Migos, as “Unc and Phew.”
- Quavo and Takeoff released a music video for the song “Messy” Monday night, hours before the shooting.
What they’re saying: Celebrities from Houston rapper Bun B to journalist Jemele Hill reacted to the news.
- Bun B posted an Instagram story saying the death is “so damn sad.”
- Hill is reflecting on Twitter, saying shooting deaths are happening “so frequently that you barely have time to recover before someone else [is] killed.”
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted in a statement on Tuesday night that Takeoff’s shooting was one of several in the past day and a half to leave “more families across our country … scarred by the devastating impacts of gun violence in America” as she urged Congress to pass gun safety legislation.
- “It’s past time we turn our pain into purpose,” Jean-Pierre said.
What’s next: Finner said he plans to meet with Houston’s hip-hop community next week to discuss gun violence.
