Police Search for Killer of Chef for Miami Heat's Norris Cole Slain in Miami Beach Club Mansion

Professional athletes took to Twitter to remember Antaun Teasley.

The search for the killer of a well-known chef who was gunned down inside a South Beach nightclub continued Wednesday, as friends tried to make sense of the shooting.

Antaun Teasley, the personal chef for Miami Heat player Norris Cole, was shot and killed inside popular Mansion nightclub early Tuesday.

Miami Beach Police said Teasley, 42, had been in the VIP section of the club when he was involved in a physical altercation. He ended up with a gunshot wound to his upper torso, police said.


Paramedics rushed him 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 club-goers to try to identify a suspect, but so far no arrests have been made.

Teasley's death was announced hours before Cole and the Miami Heat would play 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.

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."

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