The typical hazy gloom of a rainy April day in Texas cast a patchy canopy of clouds over Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco. A collection of North Texas high schools and their teenage representatives sat in the bleachers at the mid-season track and field competition. The track meet on April 2 was not supposed to be particularly noteworthy, but a fatal spat between two competitors in the stands has become the source of thousands of national headlines and an ensuing series of unfortunate events.
Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old at Memorial High School in Frisco, was sitting under his high school’s tent when he spotted Karmelo Anthony, a 17-year-old at Centennial High School in Frisco, also protecting himself from the spotty rays peaking between the clouds. According to witnesses, Metcalf asked Anthony to relocate and sit with his team, but when he refused, Metcalf grabbed or pushed the teenager. Anthony then reached into his backpack and pulled out a knife, stabbing Metcald once in the chest before running off. Metcalf died on the scene. Anthony was arrested and immediately escorted to Collin County Jail.
Since the stabbing, a whirlwind of events has grabbed the attention of North Texas and beyond, somewhat spurred by the involvement of internet trolls and poorly intentioned parties. The case has become a cause for extremists on both ends who are politicizing the race of the two boys involved to push their agendas. Metcalf is white. Anthony is Black.
In the 28 days since the stabbing, families of both the victim and the suspect have spoken out while many other developments have taken place.
April 2, Metcalf is Fatally Stabbed
Reports note that Metcalf was provided with immediate medical attention but died at the scene from a single stab to the heart. Anthony fled the scene but was quickly detained by police. According to police reports, while in the custody of officers, Anthony confessed to the crime and asked if the stabbing could be classified as self-defense. Anthony was immediately escorted to Collin County Jail, where he stayed until he was released on bond. Over the next few days, the victim’s father, Jeff Metcalf, would speak to various media outlets, asserting the crime as “murder,” expressing thoughts regarding forgiveness and condemning any allegations of racial tensions factoring into the crime.
"My son is gone and he will never come home again," he told Fox News days after his son's death. "I want to clarify something right off the start because I've already heard some rumors and gossip. This was not a race thing. This was not a political thing. Please do not comment if you do not know what happened. Try not to turn this into a racial thing. It was not. Do not politicize it. It's not."
April 5, Police Warn Public About Misinformation
In the days immediately following Metcalf's killing, Frisco police took to the media and their social media channels to warn the public that false information regarding the case had proliferated online. Social media accounts under the name of Frisco Police Chief David Shilson, which purportedly provided sensitive case information, had begun to garner attention. A fake medical examiner's report also made the rounds on social media, but was also debunked by police. A Frisco police Facebook post addressed the spread of misinformation.
"Only official releases from verified accounts should be trusted. Do not contribute to the misinformation by spreading unconfirmed information," the post stated.
April 14, Anthony Is Released
Anthony, charged with first-degree murder, had his bond initially set at $1 million before Collin County Judge Angela Tucker slashed his bond to $250,000. Anthony was released the same day under the requirement that he would be placed on house arrest and wear an ankle monitor.“There is no replacement for the loss of life or the loss of a child," Tucker said during the hearing. "I don’t want the family to think a bond amount is connected to the dignity of loss. You cannot make the person come back.”
Karmelo Anthony is SAFE at home.
— Minister Dominique Alexander (@niquealex) April 14, 2025
This moment is a reminder that a community united can never be divided.
The journey ahead is long, but today—we celebrate a victory for justice, for family, and for the power of people coming together to protect our youth.
Thank you to everyone… pic.twitter.com/CjLTkhbIiL
April 17, Anthony's Family Breaks Their Silence
Guided by a local civil rights advocacy organization, Next Generation Action Network, Anthony’s family broke their silence in a press conference to clarify rumors swirling on the internet. Between the arrest and release of their son, many fraudulent fundraisers appeared online. Anthony’s mother expressed safety concerns, begging for privacy and revealing her intention to remain silent until the court case begins.“The lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week, has been overwhelming,” she said to the room of journalists. “The lies and their amplification put my family in danger, as well as everyone in our community, everyone involved in an investigation from the police, the attorneys and the court here.”
Metcalf’s father made a surprise appearance at the press conference and was immediately escorted out. That evening, his house was swatted, which is when a fake 911 call is placed about a violent crime, usually creating a significant police response. The family has been swatted several times since.
April 19, Protect White People Protest In Frisco
Since the initial incident, the crime attracted the attention of white supremacists using the race of the two teenagers to propel their rhetoric. Jake Lang, a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter and current candidate to be the U.S. Senator for Florida, descended upon Frisco to host a protest for his white rights organization, Protect White People. Metcalf’s father phoned into the event to disparage Lang for using the death of his son to push a racist narrative. Two protestors were arrested at the event.April 27, Doxxing and Threats
Last week, the Anthony family said they were forced to relocate to an undisclosed location to protect their safety. The Metcalf family has remained in place, but reportedly endures random swatting as well as online threats. Now, others involved in the case have been subjected to various forms of harassment.The judge responsible for lowering Anthony’s bond was the victim of doxxing, or the release of private information online, when a since-deleted post on X revealed Tucker’s address. In Texas, judges are provided additional private information protections, and their home addresses are not public record.
We are aware of a social media post on this platform that appears to dox a sitting judge. Sharing a judge’s private information is a crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. #RuleofLaw #CommunityStandards
— Collin County Govt (@CollinCountyGov) April 14, 2025
May 13, Anthony to Receive Diploma
Multiple outlets reported that Anthony will be able to graduate from high school with his diploma after reaching an agreement with Frisco ISD. According to NBC 5, Anthony had met all his academic requirements for graduation prior to his arrest, although he will not participate in senior activities, including his graduation ceremony. A date has not yet been set for Anthony's murder trial.
June 24, Anthony Indicted on Murder Charge
Collin County District Attorney Greg Ellis confirmed that Anthony was indicted by a grand jury on one count of murder, according to the Dallas Morning News. “We know this case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond,“ Ellis wrote on X, according to the News. ”That’s understandable. When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core."
