Takeoff’s Alleged Killer ‘Maintains His Innocence,’ Claims ‘Valid Self-Defense’

The alleged gunman accused of taking the life of Migos rapper Takeoff is claiming self-defense while maintaining his innocence.

Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, appeared in court on Thursday, Oct. 26 where his legal team presented their claim of self-defense in the November 2022 fatal shooting of Takeoff, real name Kirsnick Khari Ball, Rolling Stone reports.

“He maintains his innocence. We do believe that he has a valid self-defense claim,” defense attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins said.

“I don’t think they can say with any degree of certainty that it was Patrick who actually fired the shot that took Takeoff’s life. There was someone else who started the shooting, it was not Patrick Clark.”

She continued. “He was in the same position that Takeoff was in, he was trying to get out of there alive as well. He didn’t have anything to do with the argument that occurred. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when people started firing weapons.”

Takeoff was fatally shot outside a bowling alley in Houston, Texas in the early hours of November 1, 2022, following a heated exchange. Clark was arrested in December 2022 for the rapper’s death based on ballistics evidence, AP reports.

Clark has remained on house arrest since his arrest and indictment by a grand jury that charged him with murder in May 2023. Clark was arrested during a traffic stop one month after the shooting and reportedly had a large amount of cash, a passport, and a gun on him.

Rappers Quavo and Offset have come together to honor Takeoff in the wake of his passing with Quavo publicly grieving his late nephew.

“I miss him a lot and I love him. He know I love him. That’s what we always know,” Quavo said in July.

“So when you see me and you see me smiling or something like that, you don’t gotta never think I forgot about him or I’ll forget about him. I think about him all the time. Sometimes I cry myself to sleep. And that’s it. I just know he’s here. If I can’t feel him, I just know he’s around.”