Houston police are seeking witnesses after the fatal shooting of Migos member Takeoff early Tuesday. Some 40 people could have information to share. “Somebody knows exactly who it was,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said.
The Atlanta rapper, whose real name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, was shot and killed about 2:30 a.m. following a private party at a downtown bowling alley, Finner said.
The 28-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other victims, a 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, were also shot following an argument on the third floor of the business, investigators said. They were taken to area hospitals and are expected to survive.
At least two weapons were fired during the exchange, Finner said. There were at least 40 people who attended the private party, but said many of them fled the scene without speaking to police, authorities said.
“What if this was your brother? What if this was your son?” Finner asked.
The police chief said he spoke with Takeoff’s mother who flew into Houston following her son’s death. He offered his condolences to the victim’s family and those who knew him.
“I got many calls from Houston and outside of Houston, and everyone spoke of what a great young man this is — how peaceful he is,” the chief said. “We all pray for his mother, his family and all of his friends who are in deep pain and shock.”
Finner called for an end to gun violence in his community and said he plans to meet with hip-hop artists in the coming days to see how they can “taper things down.”
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Takeoff’s representative confirmed his killing Tuesday morning after widespread media coverage that drew from photos and videos posted from the scene.
Authorities said security guards in the area heard the shooting, but it’s unclear if they saw who fired the shots.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who vowed to find the people responsible, said gun violence is a growing concern in his city, particularly among men between the ages of 16 and 30.
“People are no longer resolving their disputes or their arguments through a fist fight,” Turner said. Now everybody has access to guns. So when there’s a disagreement people pull their guns and they start shooting.”
As news of Takeoff’s killing spread, the leader of Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change was among the prominent voices mourning the rapper.
“I mourn that such frivolous violence has ended your life,” the Rev. Bernice King, the center’s CEO, said in a social media post. “My heart goes out to Takeoff’s family and to all who are devastated by his death. We have a lot of work to do in transforming the culture of violence into a culture of community awareness and care.”
Takeoff was the nephew of fellow Migos member Quavious Keytae Marshall, 31, who goes by Quavo and became the de facto lead man.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Houston police at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
