Patrick Xavier Clark, the man accused of fatally shooting Migos rapper Takeoff outside a Texas bowling alley last year, is claiming self-defense following his latest court appearance.

His lawyer, Letitia Quinones-Hollins, told Rolling Stone that he’s claiming self-defense ahead of the murder trial, which could officially begin in the second half of 2024.

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

“There was someone else who started the shooting, it was not Patrick Clark. 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.”

Clark has been on house arrest with a GPS monitor since January. His next court date is scheduled for January 23, 2024.

Takeoff passed away in November of 2024 after he was tragically gunned down in Houston. The rapper was 28 years old.

Police arrest man for Murder of Takeoff . His name is Patrick Xavier Clark. Sources in Texas say he’s commonly known as “DJ PAT” pic.twitter.com/DRPE9hgAoL

— DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) December 2, 2022