Authorities announced Wednesday that rapper Takeoff died from gunshot wounds to the torso and head after a shooting outside a private party.
The announcement was made after an autopsy was done by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, reported the AP News. It comes as police are seeking the public’s help in tracking down the person or people responsible for his death Tuesday.
Primary cause of death of Takeoff, whose off-stage name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, was listed as “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm.” The rapper's manner of death was called homicide.
The 28-year-old was one-third of the Grammy Award-nominated rap trio Migos, which also consists of his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset from suburban Atlanta.
He was killed around 2.30 a.m. Tuesday when shooting started outside 810 Billiards & Bowling after a private party.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said that investigators are looking to speak with the 40 people who attended the party and escaped after the shooting. According to Finner, at least two people discharged firearms. Finner told reporters on Tuesday that somebody knows exactly who it was and "I'm pretty confident that somebody's gonna step up,” reported ABC News. He shared that two others were struck by gunfire, but had non-life-threatening wounds.
Takeoff was “well respected,” and there was “no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time," said Finner.
Quality Control, Migos’ record label, paid tribute to him on Instagram saying that "senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated."
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that an armed man, who was standing just feet away from Takeoff and Quavo moments before the gunfire started, is now a person of interest in the rapper's death. In a video, one could see a man dressed in black carrying a black satchel and a handgun in his right hip pocket. The weapon could be seen in the man's pocket. He had his hand on it as Quavo was involved in the heated discussion that preceded the shooting. There was nothing in the video that proved that the man fired the first shot, but about 5 seconds later he was seen raising his weapon and seemingly firing it. It's not clear if Takeoff or Quavo knew him.
