The twin brother of a well-known chef who was gunned down inside a South Beach nightclub has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the club's operators.
Antaun Teasley, 42, was shot and killed inside Miami Beach's Mansion nightclub early Tuesday. Teasley, who was a personal chef for Miami Heat player Norris Cole, was in the VIP section of the club when he was involved in a physical altercation, police said. He ended up with a gunshot wound to his upper torso, authorities said.
The lawsuit claims it is Mansion's responsibility to prevent firearms from being carried into an establishment that serves alcohol, in accordance with Florida law.
Paramedics rushed Teasley to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where he later died. No one else was hurt in the shooting.
Police said they are interviewing clubgoers to try to identify a suspect, but so far no arrests have been made.
The lawsuit, filed by the chef's twin brother Antwan Teasley, names Star Island Entertainment and Opium International as the club's operators.
The complaint alleges there were "numerous reported violent criminal incidents at and/or near Mansion" in the three years prior to Teasley's death. The lawsuit also alleges that at no time did a Mansion employee try to intervene in the altercation that broke out that night.
It goes further to say that there is "an extensive history of reported violent crimes, altercations and weapon carrying in and around all of Opium International LLC's nightclubs."
NBC 6 could not immediately obtain a comment from Mansion or its operators.
According to the complaint, Teasley had been at the Delano Hotel just hours before the shooting with retired basketball players Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton, along with Miami Heat star LeBron James' agent Rich Paul.
Teasley's death was announced hours before Cole and the Miami Heat played Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in Miami Tuesday night. On Twitter, Heat guard Mario Chalmers called the news "crazy." Chalmers also used to employ Teasley several years ago and he worked for some Miami Dolphins players.
Miko Grimes, wife of cornerback Brent Grimes, said in a tweet that Teasley was going to cook for her birthday party next week.
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Former Dolphin Bryant McKinnie also posted a picture with Teasley on Instagram calling his death "disturbing."
DJ Irie also tweeted condolences saying, "Rest In Peace to my friend Antaun Teasley aka "Young Chef" 4 those that knew Antaun know that he was 1 of the nicest guys u could ever meet."
The last tweet posted to Teasley's account was a photo of a meal apparently prepared for Cole on Monday afternoon: a sweet potato frittata, summer salad with raspberry vinaigrette, turkey sausage and beet juice. Also in the photo were a pair of Heat championship rings and a miniature Larry O'Brien Trophy, a replica of the one presented annually to the NBA champions.
Teasley studied at Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, then began working in Florida around 2000, according to his biography. He was a Cleveland native and worked with a number of pro athletes with Ohio ties – including Cole, who is a native of Dayton and played his college ball at Cleveland State before being drafted by the Heat in 2011.
"A great person to be around," Chalmers tweeted about Teasley after the Heat finished their shootaround practice Tuesday morning. "Never in a bad mood always smiling."
