White House Mourns Migos Rapper Takeoff

Sign up to stay connected

Get the top stories of the day around the DMV.

• WIN Daily Start your weekdays right with the most recent stories from the Washington Informer website. Once a day Monday-Friday.
• JPMorganChase Money Talk Presented with JPMorganChase, this financial education series is dedicated to bridging the racial wealth gap. Let's embark on a journey of healthy financial conversations together. Bi-Monthly.
• Our House D.C. Dive deep into our monthly exploration of the challenges and rewards of Black homeownership. Monthly.
• Deals & Offers Exclusive perks, updates, and events from The Washington Informer partners just for you.
• Word in Black Newsletter Our national news platform provides reporting, op-eds and solutions on our communities' most pressing issues six days a week.

Sign up

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shared the president’s condolences to the families and loved ones killed in recent gun violence. In addition to recent fatal shootings in Newark, Kansas City and Chicago, Jean-Pierre’s statement lamented the senseless loss of the lives of the rapper and others across the nation, “award-winning recording artist Kirsnick Khari Ball, also known as Takeoff, lost his life at 28 years old, and two others were injured.” The statement continued, “In Chicago, 14 were injured by gunfire – including three children – and one injured by a vehicle as she tried to flee last night. In Kansas City, six were injured and a teenager was killed at a Halloween party. These are only the shootings that made national headlines. In other cases, we may not know the names of the victims but we equally mourn with their families and communities. Our deepest condolences are with the families of each and every one of the victims.”

Addressing the gun violence epidemic is a major pillar in the Biden Administration’s governance. President Biden has taken more executive action to reduce gun violence than any other president at similar points in any other presidential administration. Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which included funding to reduce gun crime across the nation also has requirements for federal agencies to work with the states to increase safety.

The White House statement concludes with the exasperated thoughts of an executive branch clearly exhausted of the same thing playing out again and again. “Enough is enough. Gun violence in this country is an epidemic that will not end with thoughts and prayers alone. President Biden will continue to do everything in his power to reduce gun violence, including by calling on Congress to increase community violence intervention funding, ensure universal background checks, and send legislation to his desk banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. It’s past time we turn our pain into purpose.”