The popular rapper Takeoff was shot dead in a shocking crime early Tuesday morning outside of a bowling alley in Houston.
The 28-year-old, who was part of the Atlanta trap music trio Migos, was discovered dead at the scene.
Rapper shot dead
The police were called around 2:30 a.m. to 810 Billiards & Bowling, where Takeoff had been attending a private party with fellow Migos member Quavo. Offset, the third member of Migos and husband of rapper Cardi B, was not at the event.
Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball, was killed, and two others were injured after an altercation outside the venue turned violent.
In a video obtained by TMZ, Quavo is seen having an argument with a group of people before gunshots start going off, causing a crowd of about 40 to flee. Police haven’t been able to identify the shooter or shooters, and they’re pleading with witnesses to step forward.
“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,” Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner said.
“I ask you one thing, and I want this to resonate with everybody. What if it was your brother, what if it was your son. You will want somebody to step up, so please step up,”
Hip hop community pays tribute
Stars in the hip-hop community shared their stunned reactions to the sad news, with rapper Rick Ross calling Takeoff “a young legend.”
Houston’s mayor Sylvester Turner (D) said that the shooting exemplified a problem with conflict resolution among young Black men.
“It’s not just in the hip-hop community. And I just don’t want to demonize this group. But it’s across the board with this demographic where people are no longer resolving their disputes or arguments through a fistfight.
“But now everyone has access to guns so when there is a disagreement, people pull their guns out and start shooting,” Turner said.
Migos have scored a number of hits since they broke through with 2013’s “Versace,” also charting with songs like “Motorsport”, featuring Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, “Stir Fry,” and “Walk It Talk It.” At the time of his death, Takeoff had just released a new album with Quavo.