Takeoff, the Migos rapper born Kirsnick Khari Ball, died from multiple gunshot wounds in the early morning hours of November 1, 2022, after a gunfight broke out at a private party outside 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston. He was 28. Police and witnesses have consistently described him as an unarmed bystander who had no part in the dispute that triggered the shooting.
The Night at 810 Billiards and Bowling
Takeoff attended the gathering with his uncle and bandmate Quavo. The venue, in the 1200 block of San Jacinto Street, had been rented by a music-industry figure for an after-hours event that drew roughly 40 to 50 guests, including athletes and other public figures.1Revolt. Takeoff’s Mother Files a Wrongful Death Suit Against Houston Venue The party had been scheduled to end around 1:00 a.m. but ran long.2ABC News. Migos Rapper Takeoff Fatally Shot in Downtown Houston
A high-stakes dice game was underway on the third-floor balcony. According to reports, Quavo believed the dice were “not right” and began arguing with Cameron Joshua and Christopher Watkins. After Joshua won cash and said something to Quavo, he allegedly reached for a gun; Quavo punched him. A Migos associate, Willie Bland, shoved Watkins, and seconds later shots were fired.3Vibe. Takeoff Shooting: Argument Over Loaded Dice
The Shooting
Houston police received a call about gunshots at roughly 2:30 a.m. and arrived to find Takeoff dead at the scene.2ABC News. Migos Rapper Takeoff Fatally Shot in Downtown Houston The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences later ruled his death a homicide, with the cause listed as “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm.”4CBS News. Rapper Takeoff Houston Shooting Autopsy: Gunshot Wounds Head Torso
Two other people were wounded and taken to hospitals in private vehicles.5Houston Public Media. Migos Rapper Takeoff Shot Dead in Downtown Houston One was Joshua Washington, Quavo’s personal assistant, who was struck by stray bullets about an inch from his colon. Washington said he ran down three flights of stairs and got himself to the hospital because no security personnel were available to help.6CNN. Takeoff Shooting: Man Injured Files Lawsuit
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at least two people fired weapons.7The Hill. 1 Killed at Houston Party Attended by Migos, Police Say A later search warrant confirmed more than one shooter. Forensic analysis of casings showed nine .40-caliber rounds from one weapon and a 9mm round from another.8Fox 26 Houston. Takeoff Shooting: Search Warrant Reveals Second Shooter Investigators identified Bland as the second shooter, and surveillance video showed him firing into the bowling alley, though the trajectory of his shots was not consistent with Takeoff’s injuries. Bland admitted to police that he fired a gun, but as of the latest reporting he has not been charged.9ABC 7. Migos Rapper Takeoff Killed
Takeoff Was Not Involved in the Dispute
Houston Police Department Homicide Division Sgt. Michael Burrow said Takeoff was unarmed, was not part of the dice game, and had no role in the argument. He was standing nearby when the shooting began. A nurse who was at the venue said Quavo screamed afterward and appeared “very distraught.”10Fox 26 Houston. Takeoff Murder: One Year Since Rapper’s Tragic Death
Who Was Charged With Killing Takeoff
On December 1, 2022, Houston police arrested 33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark and charged him with murder. Detectives identified Clark as the shooter from surveillance video that showed him holding a gun in one hand and a wine bottle in the other while firing toward a group of people; his fingerprints were recovered from the bottle. Prosecutors also alleged that after the shooting he searched online for his own name and the case, applied for an expedited passport, and bought plane tickets to Mexico two days before his arrest. Officers found a large amount of cash on him when they took him into custody.11ABC 13. Who Killed Takeoff: Migos Murder Suspect
Clark was initially held on a $2 million bond. Judge Josh Hill of the 232nd District Court in Harris County reduced it to $1 million in December 2022, and Clark posted the bond on January 4, 2023, and was released on continuous house arrest with GPS monitoring.12Houston Public Media. Concerned Citizen Posts $1 Million Bond for Patrick Clark A Harris County grand jury indicted him on May 25, 2023.13CNN. Takeoff Murder Indictment: Patrick Clark Clark has maintained his innocence, and his attorney, Letitia Quiñones-Hollins, has said the defense intends to fight the charge at trial.14Fox 26 Houston. Patrick Clark Charged With Migos Rapper Takeoff’s Murder
Cameron Joshua, 22, was arrested on November 22, 2022, on charges of unlawfully carrying a weapon and being a felon in possession of a weapon after surveillance video showed him holding a gun and racking the slide during the incident. His attorney, Christopher Downey, denied Joshua had anything to do with Takeoff’s death. The weapons charges were dismissed in December 2023.15Houston Public Media. Possible Witness in Takeoff’s Death Accused of Illegal Weapons Possession16Click2Houston. Takeoff Murder Case Continues as Suspect’s Hearing Moved
Clark has not entered a plea deal, and the case has not gone to trial. Jury selection is scheduled for November 5, 2026, with trial set to begin November 9, 2026.17Click2Houston. Trial Date Set for Man Accused of Killing Migos Rapper Takeoff
Civil Lawsuits Over the Shooting
Takeoff’s mother, Titania Davenport, sued 810 Billiards & Bowling in Harris County District Court in June 2023, alleging the venue failed to provide adequate security despite being notified that celebrities would attend. The complaint pointed to the absence of metal detectors, security guards, surveillance cameras, and enforcement of a no-weapons policy.18Fox 26 Houston. Takeoff Mother Files Lawsuit Against 810 Billiards The venue and co-defendant Midway Companies sought dismissal, arguing Takeoff bore some responsibility for failing to exercise “ordinary care for his own safety.”19Vibe. Takeoff Blamed for Death by Defendants in Wrongful Death Lawsuit The suit later reached a confidential settlement, though its distribution is now the subject of a separate dispute between Takeoff’s parents, who are also divided over whether the matter should be resolved in Texas or through a pending probate case in Fulton County, Georgia.20Complex. Takeoff Parents Wrongful Death Settlement Dispute
Joshua Washington, Quavo’s assistant who was wounded during the shooting, filed his own lawsuit naming 810 Houston, Lionstone Partners, Midway Companies, and Cushman & Wakefield of Texas among the defendants. He alleged the venue had no properly trained security personnel, no working metal detector, inadequate lighting and cameras, and no functioning elevator or escalator for emergency evacuation.21Houston Public Media. Man Wounded in Takeoff Shooting Sues Houston Bowling Alley