Newly released footage shows that Takeoff spent his last seconds alive standing next to his fellow Migos rapper and uncle, Quavo, as a group argued about “disrespecting” and basketball before a barrage of gunfire rang out.
The video, obtained by TMZ, also catches a glimpse of a man wearing all black and holding a gun. A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast on Wednesday that the man captured on camera is a person of interest in the shooting, but he’s yet to be identified by police.
“They know your name, they’re not going to be disrespectful like that,” someone can be heard saying in the video. The man continued to speak, but his voice was drowned out by others.
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A man is then spotted with a gun in his hand, by his side, as the argument turns to basketball.
“Don’t play with me like that bro,” one man says. Moments later, it appears the same man declares, “I’m about to hurt somebody bro.”
Two seconds later, a single gunshot is heard in the video, and a woman is heard saying “oh hell naw.”
Next, the video briefly pans to a gunman again, this time with a handgun drawn. A barrage of at least 10 gunshots can then be heard. The person recording the incident, who was not identified by TMZ, then fled.
A man (left) can be briefly seen holding a gun (right) in the video obtained by TMZ.
via TMZPolice still do not know who shot Takeoff, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, just after 2:30 a.m. at an entertainment venue in downtown Houston. An autopsy released Wednesday confirmed the 28-year-old rapper died from “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm,” TMZ reported.
Two others, an unnamed 23-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, were shot in the incident but survived.
As claims spread on social media that Takeoff may have been a bystander caught in the crossfire, possibly by members of his own group, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said he highly doubted the notoriously “peaceful” rapper would have been an instigator. However, he declined to say specify if detectives think Takeoff was hit accidentally.
In a statement, Takeoff’s record label Quality Control claimed he was killed by a “stray bullet.”
Takeoff's whereabouts were well documented on Instagram on his final night. The Atlanta native was seemingly bouncing around Houston with Quavo and those associated with Jas Prince, who was celebrating his birthday on Halloween. One post reportedly showed the group in Fifth Ward, a Houston neighborhood, around 9:30 p.m.
The group eventually made it its way to a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston. After the party ended, Finner said an argument broke out on a third-floor balcony outside the bowling alley. Multiple shots were then fired from two different firearms, according to shell casings recovered from the scene.
Jas Prince, who has been criticized for not doing more to protect the Migos stars during their visit in Houston, said in a statement on Tuesday that he was asleep at home when Takeoff was killed. Prince did not respond to multiple messages and phone calls seeking comment from The Daily Beast.
“I Never like to hear about things like this happening anywhere, especially in my city, and to my family,” he posted to Instagram. “When I got woken up with a call about this, I couldn’t believe it. I’m with you my brother @quavohuncho. Prayers to all who are hurting. RIP @yrntakeoff.”
Among the tributes Wednesday was a subtle yet profound one from his fellow Migos star Offset, who simply changed his profile picture on Instagram to a photo of Takeoff.
The move was especially significant because the relationship between the pair, who are also cousins, had been shaky since Offset went solo earlier this year.
Others had more to say about the fallen star, who was known as a “very peaceful, loving, great entertainer,” Finner said Tuesday.
“Offset lost a brother he’ll never get to fix things with. For nothing,” rapper VI Seconds tweeted. “Quavo lost his nephew. For nothing. Rap lost a good one. For nothing. All this bloodshed. For nothing. It’ll never make sense.”
