Suspect in Migos rapper Takeoff's murder indicted by grand jury
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The man accused of killing Grammy-nominated rapper Takeoff late last year in Houston has been indicted by a grand jury on a murder charge.
Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested and charged on Dec. 2, 2022, about a month after the Migos rapper was shot and killed in downtown Houston.
The video above is from a previous report when Clark made bond and was released.
Clark's attorney issued the following statement after his indictment:
"(Thursday's) action by the grand jury is not unexpected. We would ask people to remember that getting an indictment requires meeting a very, very minimal standard of proof. When we get inside a courtroom and in front of a jury, where we will be able to put on our evidence and cross-examine the state's witnesses where the standard of proof is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, we expect the jury will come back with a verdict of not guilty."
Kirsnick Khari Ball, known professionally as Takeoff, was shot to death in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2022, outside a bowling alley in downtown Houston. Police said he was in a crowd of people and an innocent bystander at 1210 San Jacinto St.
The rapper and his uncle and fellow Migos member, Quavo, were attending a private event hosted by J. Prince Jr., son of Rap-A-Lot founder, J. Prince.
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According to a search warrant, there were 34 people standing in a group outside 810 Billiards and Bowling before the shooting. Quavo, whose legal name is Quavious Marshall, was arguing with a man identified as Michael Prince and two young Black men over a game of dice.
Multiple people fired guns during the confrontation that led to Takeoff's death, according to police.
Two others were injured in the shooting and survived.
More than 30 people left the shooting scene without giving Houston police a statement, according to the department.
While Clark maintains his innocence, detectives said he had a gun in one hand and a wine bottle in another when he was caught on camera firing his weapon. Those bullets allegedly struck Takeoff.
Detectives said fingerprints on the wine bottle are what led them to identify Clark as the shooter.
Additionally, detectives believe Clark's gunfire killed the rapper based on the "direction" he was seen firing on surveillance video, according to a search warrant.
Following the shooting, prosecutors said Clark searched for information about the case and also included his own name and age in the searches.
According to court records, Clark purchased plane tickets to Mexico two days before being arrested and applied for and received an expedited passport.
Prosecutors also said officers found a large amount of cash on him at the time of his arrest.
Clark posted his $1 million bond on Jan. 5 and was ordered to house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.
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