Takeoff Shooting Survivor Sydney Leday Breaks Silence

Nearly three months after Takeoff was gunned down outside of a Houston bowling alley on Nov. 1, 2022, the other victim in the shooting is speaking publicly for the first time. Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting. The Migos rapper was 28 and beloved by his peers. He is lauded as the glue of the family group, and responsible for creating their unique sound, which birthed a new wave of hip hop. As the community continues to mourn, 24-year-old Sydney Leday is finally telling her story in an exclusive interview with KHOU 11 News in Houston. 

Like many, she attended the bowling alley two days after her birthday and in celebration of Halloween. “Like any other 24-year-old, I was just out partying and celebrating,” she said. Despite being in the same vicinity as Takeoff and his uncle and fellow group member Quavo, she wasn’t phased by their celebrity as she lived in LA. Instead, she enjoyed her costume party while dressed as a nun as she spent time with friends. She says things were good until she overheard Quavo arguing over a dice game, which corroborates investigators’ story about the shooting being sparked by a heated game of dice. 

Shots rang out, and she ran but fell to the ground after being hit by a bullet in the back of her head. She managed to get up and make her way to a friend who drove her to the hospital. Leday had a seizure and was put into a medically induced coma, but survived.

“I was in the hospital for about a week. I didn’t really want to be there,” she said. “I really just can say I’m grateful to be here.” 

Patrick Clark, the man accused of firing the fatal shots that killed Takeoff, is currently out on $1 million bail. It’s unclear when his trial will start.