Takeoff killing case set for November 2026 Houston trial as court weighs video and witness evidence

A high-profile Houston homicide prosecution moves toward a jury trial

The murder case tied to the 2022 shooting death of rapper Takeoff is scheduled for a Houston jury trial beginning in November 2026, setting up what is expected to be a multi-week proceeding focused on surveillance footage, forensic findings, and competing accounts of a chaotic confrontation outside a downtown entertainment venue.

Takeoff, whose legal name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, was fatally shot in the early hours of Nov. 1, 2022, outside 810 Billiards & Bowling, located at the GreenStreet development in downtown Houston. Police have said the shooting followed a dispute that broke out after a dice game and escalated into a fight and gunfire. Authorities have also stated that Takeoff did not participate in the dice game or the argument that preceded the shooting.

Defendant, bond status, and what the November 2026 setting signals

Patrick Xavier Clark, the man charged with murder, has denied responsibility for the shooting. Court proceedings have stretched over several years as the parties exchanged evidence and prepared pretrial litigation. Clark was released from custody on a $1 million bond under conditions that included house arrest, GPS monitoring, and limits on contact with others connected to the case.

The trial setting places the case on a defined track after extended pretrial activity that included conferences and scheduling hearings. A trial projected to run two to three weeks typically reflects the anticipated number of witnesses, the amount of digital evidence, and the time needed for jury selection and expert testimony.

How investigators say the shooting unfolded

Investigators have described a scene involving multiple people outside the venue and more than one gun being fired. Search warrant filings and police statements have indicated that surveillance video was central to identifying a suspected shooter and reconstructing movements during the moments leading up to the shots.

At the heart of the prosecution will be whether the evidence can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant fired the shots that killed Takeoff amid a rapidly changing crowd scene.

Authorities have described video that appears to show a gunman firing while holding a wine bottle, followed by a rapid departure from the area. Investigators have also pointed to physical evidence connected to that bottle as part of their identification process.

Key issues jurors are likely to hear about

• Surveillance video interpretation: what the footage shows, who can be clearly identified, and how timing is established.

• Forensic and physical evidence: how items recovered at the scene are processed and what conclusions, if any, can be tied to a specific individual.

• Witness credibility and consistency: statements given shortly after the incident versus later accounts and testimony.

• Intent and causation: whether Takeoff was an unintended victim and how prosecutors connect the defendant’s alleged actions to the fatal wounds.

What comes next before opening statements

Before trial, the court is expected to address routine pretrial matters, including final witness lists, evidentiary motions, and any disputes over the admissibility of video, prior statements, or forensic conclusions. Unless a resolution is reached beforehand, the November 2026 trial is positioned to be the first time a jury formally hears the full evidentiary record in the death of one of hip-hop’s best-known performers.