Takeoff's Suspected Shooter, Patrick Xavier Clark, Charged With Murder

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A man has been arrested and charged with the murder of Migos rapper Takeoff.

On Friday, Houston police announced the arrest of 33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark during a press conference.

It's been around a month since the shooting death of Takeoff, whose legal name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, at a Houston bowling alley. The hip-hop community was rocked by news of the 28-year-old star's passing.

Takeoff, shooting, charge, Houston, police, Migos
Takeoff is pictured onstage in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 1, 2018. On Friday, a man was arrested and charged in the Migos rapper's shooting death. Jeff Hahne/Getty Images

Houston law enforcement announced during a press conference Friday that Clark was arrested on Thursday evening on the east side of Houston.

Another man, 22-year-old Cameron Joshua, was arrested on November 22 and subsequently charged with felony possession of a weapon, according to local police.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also spoke at Friday's press conference, calling the shooting "unfortunate" but praising law enforcement for the arrest.

"I want to express my regret and disappointment that this was the case of another young man taking the life of another young man for no reason. The gun violence everywhere—not just in the city of Houston—has to stop," he said.

Turner continued: "People are dying for literally no reason and people are reaching for a deadly firearm to settle, sometimes, a minor disagreement. But pulling a firearm can have deadly consequences that you cannot undo."

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner also described the actual arrest as "peaceful" but sent out a warning to criminals: "We're going to come and get you. We'll come and get you professionally, but we'll come in force with everything that we have."

Takeoff's killing on November 1 occurred just weeks after rapper PnB Rock was fatally shot while eating at a Los Angeles restaurant.

Following the news of Takeoff's death, hip-hop star Desiigner seemed to announce on social media that he was quitting rap. In an emotional video, he announced: "I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. I can't live like this no more."

Mourners flooded into Takeoff's funeral in Atlanta on November 11, and his family asked attendees to skip bringing gifts or flowers. Instead, they requested that well-wishers contribute to The Rocket Foundation, which was set up in honor of Takeoff.

The organization was created to support programs committed to finding "community-based solutions to prevent gun violence," per the foundation's website.

Update 12/2/22, 6:14 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.

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About the writer

Simone Carter is a Newsweek reporter based in Texas. Her focus is covering all things in national news. Simone joined Newsweek in September 2022 after serving as a staff writer at the Dallas Observer, where she concentrated on Texas politics and education. She received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of North Texas. You can get in touch with Simone by emailing s.carter@newsweek.com.


Simone Carter is a Newsweek reporter based in Texas. Her focus is covering all things in national news. Simone joined ... Read more