Photo Credit: Carl Hunley Jr.
Who killed Takeoff? Houston police are urging any witnesses to come forward as his record label issues a statement.
Atlanta-based record label Quality Control issued a statement on the deal of rapper Takeoff. “It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our beloved brother Kirshnik Khari Ball, known to the world as Takeoff,” the label said in a statement on Instagram. “Senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated. Please respect his family and friends as we all continue to process this monumental loss.”
Houston mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston Police Department are asking any of the witnesses who were there that night to come forward. Around 40 people were present on the scene, but no one has come forward with any details about the shooting. A video taken from earlier in the morning appears to show Quavo–another member of Migos–getting into a heated argument with someone.
In the video, you can hear someone say, “I don’t get down like that.” After that statement, several gunshots ring out, and people break into chaos in an attempt to flee. Around ten gunshots can be heard in the video.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner says, “I’m calling you to action, to step up – there were 40 people at least at this event, and people left possibly out of fear. I ask you one thing and I want this to resonate with everybody. What if it was your brother or your son? You would want somebody to step up, so please step up, get the information to us so we can get some closure to this family who’s hurting right now.”
Finner also addressed hip-hop artists around the nation. “I’m calling up on everybody, hip-hop artists in Houston and around the nation–we’ve got to police ourselves. There’s so many talented individuals, men and women, in that community, who I love and respect, and we all need to stand together and make sure nobody tears down that industry.”
Takeoff was slain in the early morning hours of November 1 at a bowling alley in Houston. His uncle and fellow Migos member Quavo were playing dice on the scene.