A Texas student athlete who allegedly stabbed another at a track meet admitted to doing so in self-defense, police records show.
A student from Centennial High School named Karmelo Anthony, who is 17 years old, has reportedly been charged with first-degree murder.
stabbing Austin Metcalf in the heart
at a high school track meet at
Frisco Independent School District's Kuykendall Stadium
On April 2nd, Metcalf, who was also 17 years old, attended Memorial High School, situated approximately three miles north of the incident location.
The conflict between Metcalf and Anthony took place around 10 a.m. According to police, they had an argument about seating at the track meet when Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf.
The athletic trainers informed the emergency medical personnel that Metcalf had lost consciousness and was not breathing, as stated in the arrest warrant affidavit.
obtained by USA TODAY
First responders carried out critical interventions for the injured victim, including performing CPR and administering blood, yet the teenager passed away at the location.
Anthony is presently detained at the Collin County Jail with a bond set at $1 million.
"The defendant admitted, 'I was the one who did it,'" said the school resource officer.
According to the legal statement, Officer Eduardo Cortez, who serves as a school resource officer, was the initial person to reach the location.
“I was just defending myself,” Anthony reportedly stated without provocation as Cortez instructed him to keep his hands up. When the officer informed others that they had the suspected individual under arrest, Anthony responded, “I’m not ‘suspected.’ I confess I did it.”
Cortez looked for weapons but did not find any on Anthony.
The affidavit indicates that during the walk towards the police car with Cortez and an additional officer, Anthony appeared “distraught” and stated, “He touched me. I asked him not to.” An eyewitness present at the location characterized Anthony’s emotional state as “hysterical weeping.” Upon entering the patrol car, Cortez observed newly acquired bloodstains on Anthony’s left hand.
"Will he be alright?" Anthony reportedly inquired from the rear of the vehicle. Officer Allyson Ricci, who helped Cortez, stated that Anthony questioned whether his actions could be deemed as self-defense.
As first responders attempted to rescue Metcalf beneath a neighboring tent, other investigators present started searching for a blade reportedly used by Anthony to stab Metcalf, according to the affidavit. The investigators later discovered the knife within the seating area.
'Touch me and observe the outcome.'
Over two dozen individuals who witnessed the incident were interviewed by investigators, according to the affidavit, which also mentioned that one of these witnesses was a member of the Memorial High School track team.
A witness informed officials that they were seated beneath the Memorial High School tent along with the team, while Metcalf and Anthony were positioned closeby. According to the report, the witness stated that Anthony was resting inside the team’s tent when Metcalf instructed him that he had to relocate.
"Anthony took hold of his bag, unzipped it, and put his hand inside as he told Metcalf, 'Go ahead and touch me and you'll see what occurs,'" according to the affidavit.
The witness stated that Metcalf touched Anthony, who subsequently instructed Metcalf to hit him and observe the outcome. Later, as Metcalf reached for Anthony to ask him to relocate, Anthony drew a knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before fleeing, according to the affidavit.
Metcalf started clutching his chest and asking others for assistance, according to the affidavit. He was declared deceased soon afterward.
Karmelo Anthony's bond hearing set for April 14
On April 4, a
local NBC outlet
I communicated with Anthony's attorney, Deric Walpole.
“I understand my client claims it was an act of self-defense. There’s no cause for me to doubt that statement, yet I must gather evidence, interview witnesses, and investigate further to form an informed opinion regarding the incident,” Walpole stated to NBC 5 DFW. “Currently, there isn’t anything suggesting otherwise.”
Walpole additionally asked for a hearing this week to reduce Anthony's $1 million bail. According to Collin County court documents, the bond hearing is set for Monday, April 14.
False profiles disseminate false information regarding Austin Metcalf's demise.
The following day after the tragedy, the police department took action
another post
warning of "a fake account on social media purporting to belong to Chief David Shilson." The public was encouraged to rely solely on the department's verified accounts for accurate information.
The bogus profile claimed that the stabbing occurred due to a "mutual fight" that started when Metcalf "ambushed" Anthony.
according to Click2Houston
The posts also state that Metcalf "broke [Anthony's] phone against one of the bleachers." These allegations have yet to be verified by the police.
In a
statement
Shilson clarifies that impersonating a police officer constitutes a criminal offense and is considered a third-degree felony, which will undergo investigation.
On Friday, authorities disclosed that once again, a social media account was disseminating misleading information regarding the case. An invented image purportedly showing a document from the county medical examiner claims Metcalf’s main cause of death was a “methamphetamine overdose,” with hemorrhaging due to a stabbing injury cited as a secondary factor.
The Frisco Police Department has taken notice of an image being shared on social media platforms that claims to be from the Collin County Medical Examiner's Office,
the post reads
. "At this time, the report has NOT been released. Therefore, any information currently found online is FALSE."
"Only official releases from verified accounts should be trusted. Do not contribute to the misinformation by spreading unconfirmed information."
Donations flood in for Austin Metcalf's family via GoFundMe
On the day his son passed away, Jeff Metcalf initiated a
GoFundMe campaign
requesting contributions in memory of Austin. The dad highlighted his child’s guidance qualities and zeal, as well as his athletic achievements alongside a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
Jeff Metcalf penned, "He was an intelligent young man poised for a remarkable future. He aimed to elevate his performance further. His determination, devotion, guidance, and unyielding perseverance propelled him towards achieving the success he aspired to reach."
"We will all remember him for the way he impacted others' lives. I love you forever, son. It's not goodbye, it's see you later. God will take care of us till we meet again. RIP. Love, Dad."
By early Friday morning, Jeff Metcalf’s campaign had gathered more than $325,000.
Another
GoFundMe campaign
was initiated by Kari Ordas, who reportedly owns a neighborhood pizzeria where Austin Metcalf, along with his twin brother Hunter and their mother Meghan, were employed. In conjunction with this campaign, Ordas
informed a local news station WFAA
she is organizing a fundraising event at her workplace.
By early Friday morning, Ordas' campaign had amassed more than $163,000.
The Karmelo Anthony GoFundMe campaigns have been removed, while GiveSendGo has raised more than $350K.
Moreover, at minimum, three additional online fundraising initiatives have been started in support of Anthony.
One campaign
Anthony was described as a "courteous and well-behaved young individual" with an impeccable record, showing he had "NO prior criminal involvement whatsoever." The fundraiser managed to gather $140,000 before being removed from circulation.
A GoFundMe spokesperson
told The Independent
They "do not allow fundraising for the legal defense related to violent crimes." The spokesperson remains unidentified.
A
second GoFundMe campaign
Anthony met the same fate.
A
third campaign
, this one through GiveSendGo, remained live on Friday. The page claims to have been created by "the Anthony family" and had raised more than $350,000 as of Friday morning.
The Official Support Fund for Karmelo and his family amid these challenging times is hereby established," the page states. "What’s circulating as the story isn’t accurate, fair, or beneficial. Being a faithful family, we sincerely appreciate all your help during this tough phase. Your prayers and contributions hold greater significance for us at present than they have before.
— This report includes contributions from USA TODAY.
This article initially appeared on the Austin American-Statesman.
'I acted in self-defense': Texas teenager accused of murder at track meet stabbing speaks out
What we don't know
