Good Samaritan killed in Arlington was a high-profile casino chef in Biloxi

BILOXI -- Anthony Lee Antell Jr., the man who was killed Monday while trying to intervene in an argument outside an Arlington Walgreen’s, was remembered fondly Tuesday by friends in Biloxi, where he made a name for himself as a high-profile chef at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.

“It’s definitely a sad day at the Beau Rivage,” Ron Hall, food and beverage manager, said Tuesday. He got a call Monday afternoon from Antell’s sister-in-law, telling him that Chef T.J. was fatally shot outside his new gym in Arlington. “It’s very rough for the family, needless to say.” Antell’s wife, Crystal, saw the shooting, according to published accounts.

They have three children, Hayden, Rilee and Liam, said Jake Mizell, also a CrossFit gym owner in Arlington, who set up a GoFundMe account for Antell’s family. Nearly $17,000 had been raised by Tuesday afternoon.

Antell was a recognizable figure in South Mississippi as the subject of a Beau Rivage advertising campaign that saw his picture on billboards across the Coast. With his creativity and professionalism, “he did personify the Beau Rivage,” said Mary Cracchiolo-Spain, public relations director at the resort and casino. “He had flair.”

Antell earned a culinary degree in Florida and was working as executive sous chef for Fitzpatrick Hotel in New York when he was invited to Biloxi for a food tasting job interview at the Beau Rivage. Hall said it was by far one of the best and most unique tastings he’s ever experienced.

His culinary technique was traditional Japanese with fusion and modern twist, Hall said. He had strong Asian roots -- his mother and grandmother are Japanese.

Hall had just taken over as food and beverage director when Antell was hired in 2010 and Hall said, “Jia (the restaurant at the casino) was having a real identity crisis at that time.”

Antell was there about four years, and his passion and showmanship transformed the restaurant, Hall said, making it a hip place to be for the resort. “He would come out and touch every table every single night,” Hall said. “Anyone who dined in Jia knew TJ. People came back to see TJ. He was one of the best ambassadors we had.”

Antell was happy to do cooking contests and demonstrations, Hall said.

“He just loves people. And he loves showing off. TJ was a lot of things but modest was not one of them,” Hall said.

In the outpouring on social media Monday night, many of his staff at the restaurant said Antell gave them the foundations for a better life.

When he left the Beau Rivage his dream was to open a gym, Hall said. Antell told him, “I love cooking, but I want to do my next dream now.”

Antell was shot Monday when he intervened in an argument between Pvt. Ricci Chambles Bradden, 22, of Dallas, and his wife, Quinisha Johnson, outside the Arlington Walgreen’s where she worked. According to a report by WFAA, Bradden was upset about some Facebook photos she had posted.

Bradden fired a shot that struck Johnson in the leg. When Antell, a former Marine, saw that, he ran to his car to get a handgun and tried to stop Bradden from fleeing the scene, police said.

Bradden later told Army officers he slapped the gun out of Antell’s hands and then shot him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Bradden turned himself in after being advised to do so by his Army superiors at Fort Hood.

Antell was pronounced dead in the parking lot of the store at 5600 New York Ave. near Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard, the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office reported Monday night.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 6:33 PM with the headline "Good Samaritan killed in Arlington was a high-profile casino chef in Biloxi."