By JUAN A. LOZANO | The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Rapper Takeoff died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso following a shooting outside a private party at a downtown Houston bowling alley, authorities announced Wednesday.
The announcement — following an autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston — comes as police are still seeking the public’s help in tracking down the person or persons responsible for the rapper’s death Tuesday.
Takeoff’s primary cause of death was listed as “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm” and his manner of death was called homicide.
Takeoff, whose off-stage name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, formed one-third of the Grammy Award-nominated rap trio Migos with uncle Quavo and cousin Offset from suburban Atlanta.
The 28-year-old rapper was killed around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday when gunfire erupted outside of 810 Billiards & Bowling following a private party.
Investigators are looking to speak with the 40 people who attended the party and fled after the gunfire, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said.
At least two people discharged firearms, according to Finner. Two others were hit by gunfire but had non-life-threatening wounds and went to hospitals in private vehicles, he said.
Finner said Takeoff was “well respected,” and there was “no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time.”
Migos’ record label, Quality Control, mourned Takeoff’s death in a statement posted on Instagram. The statement said senseless violence “has taken another life from this world and we are devastated.”
The bowling alley is in a three-story Houston retail complex with high-end restaurants and a House of Blues and is near a Four Seasons hotel.
Fans had created a memorial with roses, candles and a teddy bear on the first floor of the retail complex.
Takeoff’s killing came as Houston was in the spotlight, with the Astros baseball team mounting the most-viewed World Series run since 2019. Also, crime has emerged as a major political issue in this year’s midterm elections.
In Houston, the mayor and police chief acknowledged such concerns while noting some violent crime rates are down from last year. Finner said he wants to meet with other hip-hop artists to talk about violence, although he did not say Takeoff’s killing had anything to do with his work in music.
Migos first broke through with the massive hit “Versace” in 2013. They had four Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, though Takeoff was not on their multi-week No. 1 hit “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert. They put out a trilogy of albums called “Culture,” “Culture II” and “Culture III,” with the first two hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Offset, who is married to Cardi B, released a solo album in 2019, while Takeoff and Quavo released the joint album “Only Built for Infinity Links” last month.
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