Takeoff died despite desperate efforts by Quavo, others after shooting

After multiple shots rang out during a party at a Houston bowling alley early Tuesday, people at the scene desperately tried to render first aid to a fatally wounded Takeoff, but the 28-year-old member of the rap trio Migos died at the scene, according to reports.

Those trying to help Takeoff, whose real name was Kirsnik Khari Ball, included Quavo, his 31-year-old uncle and fellow Migos member, according to TMZ, which first broke the news of Takeoff’s death Tuesday.

In a video obtained by TMZ, Quavo can be seen on the phone, presumably with a 911 operator, asking “What does she need to do?” A woman at the scene said she was a nurse and offered to help Takeoff, TMZ said.

But Takeoff was pronounced dead before he could be transported to a hospital, TMZ said. The Associated Press confirmed through a representative for Migos that Takeoff was the person killed, People reported.

A recording of the 911 call also revealed that dispatchers reported that at least five gunshots were fired at the 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston. They said the initial callers said they heard gunshots and people screaming.

According to TMZ, Takoff was shot at around 2:30 a.m. He was with Quavo, who was unharmed in the shooting, at the time of his death. It’s not clear if the third member of the trio, Offset, who is Takeoff’s cousin and the husband of rap star Cardi B, was present.

Two other people at the bowling alley were shot and taken to a hospital, Houston Police confirmed to Rolling Stone.

A spokesperson for the Houston police told reporters that there was a private party at the venue, which ended around 1 a.m., though the party carried over for another hour until it was cleared out, Rolling Stone said. Lt. Christina Salazar told a local TV news station that 40 to 50 people were at the party when the shooting took place, People reported. 

TMZ said that Takeoff and Quavo were playing dice when an altercation erupted and that’s when someone opened fire. Takeoff was possibly shot in the head.

“I can tell you there (were) rappers at the party,” the police spokesperson said, according to Rolling Stone. “I don’t know if they are involved in the shooting, but like I said it’s still the early process of the investigation.” No arrests had been made.

Takeoff was born in 1994 and grew up in the Atlanta suburbs, Rolling Stone said. He spent much of his childhood with Quavo and Offset, with the three initially rapping together in 2008 under the name Polo Club. They eventually changed their name to Migos and released a debut mixtape, “Juug Season” in 2011, Rolling Stone said. The group cracked the mainstream in 2013 with their first major hit, “Versace.”

In 2016, they “became arguably the biggest rap group in the world” with their no. 1 hit “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert, according to Rolling Stone.

Most of Takeoff’s discography was with Migos, but he released a solo album in 2018 titled “The Last Rocket,” Rolling Stone said. More recently, he and Quavo separated from Offset to record music as a duo. In October, they released their newest album, “Only Built For Infinity Links.”