One month after the fatal shooting of Takeoff, Houston authorities arrested and charged a man with murder in connection with the rapper’s killing, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced at a news conference Friday.
Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested on the east side of Houston, Thursday evening. Another man, Cameron Joshua, 22, was arrested last month and charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon, the chief said. When asked how the latter was connected to the case, Finner said Joshua was at the scene and was “in possession of a weapon (and) he’s a felon.”
Takeoff was an ‘innocent bystander,’ investigator says
Though the incident remains an active investigation, what authorities know is Takeoff was “an innocent bystander,” Sgt. Michael Burrow, with the Houston Police Department’s homicide division, said Friday.
“The event was a private party, there was a lucrative dice game that went on at the event, there was an argument that happened afterwards outside the bowling alley, which led to the shooting,” Burrow said
Takeoff was not involved in the dice game nor the argument and he was not armed, Burrow said.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Takeoff was a talented entertainer, and much more.
“He was a son, a brother, cousin and a friend, and a mentor to those in the music industry,” the mayor said, calling the arrest in his killing a “significant step toward seeking justice.”
“I want to express my regret and disappointment that this was a case of another young man taking the life of another young man for no reason,” he added. “The gun violence everywhere, not just in the city of Houston, has to stop.”
“Pulling a firearm can have deadly consequences that you cannot undo. So I’m glad an arrest has taken place, that we do have someone in custody. It is unfortunate, it really is unfortunate because it does not bring Takeoff back,” Turner said.
Authorities urge witnesses to come forward
Authorities are still working to find and talk to witnesses and both Burrow and the police chief urged those who were on scene and fled to contact authorities and share what they know.
Any individual that’s killed in our city, it’s tough, and it’s tough on their family, tough on their friends. Everybody deserves an investigation,” Finner, the police chief said. “But … we need people to step up too. Do your part as a citizen and if you see something, you need to say something. Don’t let the fear paralyze you. Step up and say something.”
There were more than 30 people standing outside when the shooting happened, Burrow said.
“Literally every single one of those people left the scene without giving a statement to police,” he said. “We found a few of them that night, we’ve found others since then but it’s important that those people come forward.”
In the meantime, authorities have had to rely on “a large volume of video surveillance,” cell phone videos, audio, physical and ballistic evidence and shooting reconstruction efforts in their investigation.
“Through that, we were able to deduce that Patrick Clark is the lethal shooter in the case,” Burrow said.