Migos rapper Takeoff was fatally shot early Tuesday outside a bowling alley in Houston, an attorney for the rapper confirmed to NBC News. He was 28.
"Along with my firm, I am devastated by the tragic death of Kirshnik Ball, known to his fans as Takeoff," attorney Drew Findling said in a statement. "Takeoff was not only a brilliant musical artist with unlimited talent but also a uniquely kind and gentle soul. He will be greatly missed now and always."
Takeoff was the youngest member of the Atlanta-based rap trio Migos, along with his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset.
Officers responded around 2:40 a.m. to reports of a shooting at 810 Billiards and Bowling Alley, where a crowd had gathered outside on a balcony. Police discovered a man with a gunshot wound to the head or neck, according to NBC affiliate KPRC. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
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Houston police confirmed at an early morning news conference that TakeOff and Quavo were at a private party at the bowling alley when the shooting occurred.
Investigators did not name the victim, pending notification of family members and an official identification verified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, KPRC reports. Police only said the victim was a Black male in his 20s.
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Security guards who were in the area heard the shooting but did not see who did it, a police spokesperson said. Two other people were injured and taken to hospitals in private vehicles.
No arrests have been announced. Police Chief Troy Finner said Takeoff was “well respected" and that he has “no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time.” The chief said most people fled after the gunfire began and asked anyone who knows or has video of what happened to come forward to help investigators identify the shooters.
At least two people discharged firearms and the two others who were struck have injuries that are not life-threatening, Finner said. They were taken to hospitals in private vehicles.
The Grammy-nominated rap trio broke through with the music scene with the massive hit “Versace” in 2013. The song was remixed by Drake, heightening its popularity.
They have had four Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including their multi-week No. 1 “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 albums hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
They earned an ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2018, for their streaming success with multiplatinum songs like “Motorsport (featuring Cardi B and Nicki Minaj),” “Stir Fry,” and “Walk It Talk It.”
The trio also played a fictional version of themselves on an episode of the hit TV show “Atlanta.”
Offset, who is married to Cardi B, released a solo album in 2019, while Takeoff and Quavo released a joint album “Only Built for Infinity Links” last month.
On social media, celebrities from music, television and the sports world reacted to the news of Takeoff's passing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
