Takeoff’s Alleged Murderer Accused Of Trying To Avoid Arrest & May Pursue Self-Defense In The Case

Takeoff

Takeoff’s Alleged Murderer Accused Of Trying To Avoid Arrest & May Pursue Self-Defense In The Case 

The man accused of fatally shooting rapper Takeoff is trying to stay out of prison.

During a court hearing on Wednesday (Dec. 14) prosecutors alleged Patrick Xavier Clark, the man who killed Takeoff last month outside a Houston bowling alley, sought information about using fake plane tickets to obtain an expedited passport to assist him in fleeing the country. He also made consistent online searches about whether he was a suspect in the case or not. Patrick Xavier Clark’s attorney’s claim their client never planned on leaving Houston and will most likely pursue self-defense in the case. Letitia Quinones, one of the 33-year-old attorney’s said:

“We feel comfortable that when the time is right that Mr. Clark will have a valid and meritorious claim for self-defense.” 

After the hearing, Letitia Quinones, suggested that Clark only fired after someone shot at him first, however, police say Clark fired the first shot.

Takeoff

As previously reported, on Tuesday (Nov. 1) one-third of the Migos rap group, Takeoff, was shot in the head and back amid the departure of a private party at a bowling alley around 2:30 a.m. Houston police said the gunfire erupted following a disagreement over a “lucrative” dice game.

Takeoff

Authorities arrested Clark on Dec. 1 on a murder charge. His attorneys had sought to have his bond reduced from $2 million to $100,000. However, state District Judge Josh Hill was hesitant, believing he could be a flight risk and that Clark’s “Google searches for fake tickets cause me a great deal of concern.” During the hearing on Wednesday, Houston police Sgt. Michael Burrow testified that Clark’s cell phone had made online searches for fake plane tickets. Burrow said:

“It was my belief he was preparing to flee the country.” 

According to Burrow, Surveillance video showed the suspect holding a wine bottle in one hand when he fired his gun. He allegedly left the bottle near the scene of the shooting and fingerprints found on the bottle were later used to identify him. Clark’s lawyer denied that he tried to leave America after the shooting claiming that he canceled a previous scheduled trip to Mexico and on the day of his arrest he’d been looking for an apartment to rent in the city. District Judge Josh Hill agreed to reduce the his bond to $1 million if additional security requirements could be met and agreed to consider lowering his bond to $300,000. 

Clark’s father, Joseph, testified that his son works as a DJ and also is a night club promoter  but that he has never been financially stable, still lives at home, borrows his truck to transport from point A to point B. His father claimed he wouldn’t have the resources  to flee to another country. During the hearing, prosecutors played a recording of a phone call the suspect made five days after he was arrested to his family in which he could he heard saying that the $2 million bond “can be made right now.” Prosecutors suggested he has had access to large amounts of cash in his work as a DJ and with clubs.

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