A wine bottle helped police catch Takeoff’s alleged killer.
New York Times reporter Joe Coscarelli obtained an affidavit, which revealed more details about the Takeoff murder investigation. According to the affidavit, video evidence showed Takeoff’s alleged killer Patrick Xavier Clark in possession of a wine bottle at the time of the shooting.
“During the actual shooting, Clark was holding a wine bottle in one hand while he discharged the firearm with the other,” the affidavit read. “Immediately after the shooting, Clark ran over by the House of Blues, where he set the wine bottle down and never came back for it.”
Police collected the bottle during their initial investigation. Forensic analysis revealed Clark’s fingerprints on the item.
The affidavit included information from a man named Willie Bland, who’s identified as an associate of Quavo. Bland said he was part of a group that included Takeoff and Quavo, who were visiting Jas Prince in Houston.
Quavo got into an argument with Michael Prince, Cameron Joshua and Christopher Watkins over a dice game at a bowling alley. Bland said he saw Joshua and Watkins with guns at the bowling alley and a local gym earlier in the day.
Bland “believed Joshua said something and began pulling a gun” when Quavo turned and walked away from the argument. The Quavo associate reacted by punching Joshua, assuming the armed men were trying to rob the Migos member. Takeoff wasn’t involved in the altercation.
Gunfire soon erupted as Bland believed Joshua was shooting at him. Bland admitted he started shooting at Joshua.
Police didn’t find video evidence of Joshua shooting a gun. But they also determined Bland didn’t shoot Takeoff or the surviving victims based on the angles and injuries suffered. Authorities eventually zeroed in on Clark as the gunman who shot and killed Takeoff.
Clark was arrested and charged with murder on December 1. He remains in custody after a judge set his bond at $2 million.