Takeoff murder suspect ordered held on $2 million bond
A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Migos rapper Takeoff, Houston police said Friday. He was ordered held on $2 million bond during his first court appearance.
Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested Thursday evening in Houston and "charged with the murder of Takeoff," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said during a press briefing.
Takeoff, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was shot and killed in downtown Houston around 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 1, police said. He was 28.
Clark's bond was set at $2 million during a court appearance late Friday night after the judge determined he posed a flight risk. If he is able to post bond, he will be held under 24-hour house arrest, the judge said.
In requesting the $2 million bond, prosecutors argued that Clark posed a high flight risk because he had purchased tickets to Mexico two days before his arrest and applied for an expedited passport.
The defense argued that Clark, who is currently enrolled in college, posed a low risk to the community and said this was his first criminal arrest.
The arrest came a month after Takeoff was fatally shot outside the 810 Billiards & Bowling following a private event. A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman also suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting, police said.
Police said at the time that an argument between some of the party guests "led to multiple unknown males firing pistols at each other."
There was a "lucrative dice game" during the event, followed by an argument outside the venue, Houston Police Sgt. Michael Burrow said during the briefing.
"I can tell you Takeoff was not involved in playing the dice game, he was not involved in the argument that happened outside, he was not armed," Burrow said. "He was an innocent bystander."
Investigators were able to determine that Clark was the alleged shooter of Takeoff through shooting reconstruction and ballistics evidence, Burrow said. Police have also obtained cellphone and surveillance footage that has "surfaced over time," he said.
Prosecutors revealed during Friday's hearing that Clark was captured on video firing in the direction of Takeoff, with a gun in one hand and a wine bottle in the other. He then allegedly left the bottle at the scene and fled in a car. Investigators were able to identify Clark through fingerprints left on the wine bottle and license plate information on the car, prosecutors said.
Police have urged the public to come forward with tips in the days and weeks since.
Around 30 people were at the scene went the shooting happened, and police are still looking to speak with those who were there, Burrow said.
"Literally every one of those people left the scene without leaving a statement," Burrow said. "It's important that those people come forward."
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also called on witnesses to come forward.
"Everybody else has a responsibility to contribute to finding out who did it," Turner said during the presser. "Everybody has to take on responsibility."
Amid the investigation into the shooting, a man was recently charged with two counts of felon in possession of a weapon for allegedly having a gun at the time Takeoff was fatally shot, police said. Prosecutors had said during a hearing on Wednesday that the 22-year-old suspect is not believed to have fired a weapon during Takeoff’s shooting, The Associated Press reported.
Takeoff was part of the Grammy-nominated hip-hop trio Migos, which formed in 2008 in suburban Atlanta and gained mainstream recognition and rose to stardom in 2013 with their song "Versace." His uncle Quavo, who was present when the shooting took place but unharmed, and his cousin Offset were also part of the trio.
Thousands of fans paid tribute to the slain rapper during a memorial at Atlanta's State Farm Arena last month.
"Everybody -- the hundreds of people that I've talked to -- spoke on what a great individual he was," Finner said Friday. "We have a special relationship with the city of Atlanta. I want to make sure that stays intact."
ABC News' Deena Zaru contributed to this report.
