Rapper Takeoff, from Grammy-nominated trio Migos, shot to death in Houston

The fatal shooting of the rapper Takeoff has Houston police asking for the public's help in identifying who opened fire outside a bowling alley early Tuesday, killing the 28-year-old member of the Grammy-nominated trio Migos and wounding two other people.

Takeoff — whose name was Kirsnick Khari Ball — was one third of the group along with Quavo and Offset. He was shot around 2:30 a.m. local time after an argument broke out among a group of 40 people who were leaving a private party at the bowling alley, Houston police said.

Police Chief Troy Finner said Takeoff was "well respected" and that investigators are looking for any information that will help them identify the shooters. He said most people fled after the gunfire began and asked anyone who knows or has video of what happened to come forward.

"I have no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time," Finner said of Takeoff.

He said that at least two people fired guns and that the two other people who were struck have injuries that are not life-threatening. They were taken to hospitals in private vehicles.

No arrests have been announced.

"Let me just ask ... that anyone who has information on the shooter or shooters to provide that information to Houston Police Department and let us solve this situation," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "Let us bring justice to this family."

Police responded to reports of a shooting at 810 Billiards & Bowling, which is in a three-storey downtown Houston retail complex that includes high-end restaurants, a House of Blues and is near a Four Seasons hotel. Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Houston Police Lt. Ronnie Willkens said he appeared to have been shot in the head or neck.

Security guards who were in the area heard the shooting but did not see who did it, Willkens said.

A spokesperson for 810 Billiards & Bowling said the shooting took place after the alley closed and said the business is co-operating with investigators. 

Several fans gathered across the street from the bowling alley. Isaiah Lopez, 24, said he rushed down from his home in the Houston suburb of Humble after hearing Takeoff had been killed.

"He was one of our favourites, mine and my brother's. It's all we would listen to," Lopez said as he carried a dozen roses he hoped to place near the site of the shooting. "As soon as my brother called me and said, 'Takeoff is gone,' I had to come over here and pay my respects."

Thomas Moreno, 30, lives about five minutes from the site of the shooting. He said he had met Takeoff at an event at a Houston bar and restaurant in June and called him "a real nice guy."