Heat Game Dampened By Murder Of Celeb Chef
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) – The excitement of Game 3 of the NBA Finals was dampened by violence that hit close to home for the Miami Heat.
A chef who worked for several athletes, including the Heat's Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, was killed when gunfire erupted in the VIP section of Club Mansion and police still don't have a suspect in custody.
Antuan Teasley, 42, of North Bay Village is known across South Florida as chef to the stars.
"The world has lost a really kind man," said friend Adrienne Gershon.
Teasley's murder weighed heavy on the hearts of several Heat players as they took on the Spurs in Game 3 Tuesday night.
"He's been very influential in my career as far as feeding me every day, making sure my nutrition and my body was right. Condolences go out to his family. It was tough but this is the NBA finals. This is a once in a lifetime experience so I was ready for the game," said Norris Cole.
Chalmers said after Tuesday's game, "It is tough. But you know, condolences to his family and him and his kids. Hopefully they will be ok."
Friends remember "young chef" as a genuine caring man with an uplifting personality.
"He was a wonderful human being. Kind, generous, fun, just a really lovely person," said Gershon.
According to investigators, a shot was fired in the VIP section of Club Mansion after a fight broke out just before 4:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. People around the injured man went to help him and called 9-1-1. When Miami Beach Fire arrived they found him inside the club near the VIP entrance. He was taken to the Ryder Trauma Center where he died.
Club goers said after the shot was fired, there was massive confusion.
"I was standing in the VIP and there was like a bang noise, like a gun, and I looked over right in the VIP and everybody started getting down and running and I was like there's no way on Earth that this is gunshots. So we're standing there and then everybody started running and security started coming," said Nefratari Tomalo.
"We heard a noise and somebody behind me ducked down on me and everybody started ducking and running away," said Shala White.
It's still unclear whether Teasley was the intended target of the shooting.
"Knowing his personality for this to happen to him, his high spirits and everything, his zest for life, it's just sad," said friend Ofra Chanti.
A spokeswoman for the Opium Group which owns Club Mansion has so far, had no comment about the shooting or about how a gun got into the club.
Police are still searching for the shooter and they plan to get review all security video available from inside and outside the club.
Anyone with information about this shooting is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
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