Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf

Yesterday, June 9, Karmelo Anthony was found guilty of the murder of Austin Metcalf. On April 2, 2025, Anthony and Metcalf were attending a track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, TX, a suburb of Dallas. Metcalf was a junior at Memorial High School and Anthony was just shy of graduating from Centennial High School, both in Frisco. The track meet was delayed because of thunderstorms. Metcalf and his team mates were taking shelter under the Memorial High School tent that had been set up as their base. Other high schools had done the same. Centennial did not have a tent, but only a tarp.

For reasons that are still not clear, Anthony took it upon himself to take a seat under the Memorial High School tent. According to testimony in the trial, it was not unusual for students from different high schools to meet under the tents, but the tents are considered the place where each high school team gathers, rests, waits for their event, etc. The boys from Memorial did not like that Anthony, from Centennial, was making himself comfortable under their tent. Also according to testimony, Anthony was instructed at least fifteeen times by Austin Metcalf, his twin brother Hunter, and other members of the Memorial track team to remove himself from under their tent and sit with his own team. Anthony did not move. When confronted by Metcalf again, Anthony allegedly told him, “Touch me and find out,” while he had his hand in his backpack, warning Metcalf and his team mates. Metcalf and the other team members thought Anthony was bluffing. Finally, Austin Metcalf either grabbed Karmelo Anthony or pushed him in the effort to get him to leave their area. At that point, Anthony pulled out a knife from his backpack and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest, piercing his heart. Anthony threw the knife into the stands in an effort to rid himself of the evidence and made way for the stadium exit. Metcalf ran down the bleacher steps calling for help. He soon lost consciousness. Coaches gave him CPR at the scene, but by the time the police arrived, he had already stopped breathing. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was declared dead. In the meantime, Anthony was stopped from leaving the stadium by other coaches and was taken into police custody. Supposedly, when a police officer identified Anthony to another officer as the “alleged” attacker, Anthony replied, “I’m not alleged. I did it.” He then asked if Metcalf was going to be alright and if the police officer transporting him to jail thought that what he did counted as self-defense. “He put his hands on me,” Anthony is reported to have said, “I told him not to.”

Anthony, who had no criminal record, a 3.7 GPA at Centennial, was captain of both the track team and the football team, was charged with murder and the decision was made that he would be tried as an adult. Austin Metcalf, who died in his twin brother’s arms, was remembered at Hope Fellowship Frisco East church and laid to rest at Little Elm Cemetary in Little Elm, TX.

After being indicted for murder by a grand jury in June 2025 and pleading not guilty on grounds of self-defense, Anthony’s trial began with jury selection on June 1, 2026 in Collin County, TX. Judge John Roach presided over the trial. Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye was chief prosecutor, and Anthony was defended by a team led by Dallas-Fort Worth criminal defense attorney Mike Howard. During jury selection, a controversy ensued when the prosecution struck three Black females from the jury pool. The defense protested that the women were being struck because of their race. The prosecution argued that all three women were teachers who worked with school-aged children, and that is the reason they did not want them on the jury. Judge Roach ruled for the prosecution and allowed for the women to be struck. One prospective Black juror frankly admitted that he would “have a hard time putting a brother in jail.” Other Black members of the jury pool also made statements explaining that it would be difficult for them to convict a person so young. These are legitimate reasons for dismissing a potential juror, but there has been a great deal of discussion and more than a little outrage over the fact that there were no Black people on the jury. However, it is incorrect, as some have said, that the jury was “all White.” Many of the jurors were people of color, both Asians or Hispanics. All in all, there were eleven women and seven men seated on the jury, either as jurors or alternates.

It was clear from early on that the defense had an uphill climb in proving self-defense. Prosecutor Wirskye made the point that, even if Metcalf made initial physical contact, you don’t stab an unarmed person who pushed you. Defense attorney Howard insisted that Anthony acted out “in a split second of fear and chaos.” While the point was made that it was not illegal for Anthony to have the knife in his possession, it was against school policy to bring a weapon onto school grounds, and many wondered why anyone would bring a knife, or any other weapon, to a track meet. Anthony’s hopes of aquittal were likely dashed when his defense’s own witness testified that Anthony had provoked the confrontation with Metcalf. After final arguments were made, it took the jury only three hours to come back with a verdict: guilty of murder. Anthony did not take the stand in his own defense, and I understand that his defense team rejected a deal where Anthony could plead guilty to manslaughter, hoping to get their client off completely arguing self-defense. Looking back, perhaps, it’s pretty clear that Anthony did not have a strong case for self-defense. Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison. He will be 54 years old at the end of those years.

This tragedy never should have happened. The reason it did is probably a mixture of hubris and teenage machismo. Karmelo Anthony, even if he had a legitimate reason for being under the Memorial tent initially, perhaps visiting a friend, should have left when his presence was made unwelcome by the boys on the Memorial track team. Metcalf, for his part, and the other boys for that matter, ought to have taken the matter to one of Memorial’s adult coaches. I had read that Metcalf had been instructed by one of his coaches to take care of the team and their area under their tent. Maybe that’s why he didn’t find a coach to get Anthony to move. It ought to have been obvious that, after being asked fifteen times to move and not moving, Anthony wasn’t going anywhere unless someone made him, and he was riled up, ready to prove himself to Metcalf and the others that he was prepared to take care of himself. The responsibility to get him to move at that point should not have been placed on or assumed by the boys, and certainly not with a physical confrontation. When someone threatens you (“touch me and find out), you do not assume they are bluffing. You assume they are not bluffing and get an adult or a security officer. This is not victim-blaming. This is acknowledging the reality that, had Austin Metcalf or another team member brought adults into the picture, he would almost certainly be alive today. That none of the boys on the Memorial track team thought to grab a coach or a security officer will be an omission they will all live with for the rest of their lives.

The fact that Metcalf was White and Anthony is Black only exacerbates the tragedy. Anthony’s family and his Black and White supporters will never be convinced that race did not play a role in his conviction. Metcalf’s family and their supporters will forever be befuddled as to why race was even made part of the narrative. But how could it be avoided? The truth is, most Blacks who are murdered in this country are murdered by other Blacks, and most Whites who are murdered are murdered by other Whites. It is also true that most murder victims are killed by friends, acquaintances, or partners in a relationship, and not by strangers. Anthony and Metcalf did not know each other. As best can be ascertained, they had never met. Both boys likely felt challenged by the other and were not going to allow their pride and manliness to be disrespected. Sadly, to protect his honor, Metcalf paid with his life. Sadly, to protect his honor, Anthony will spend much of his behind bars.

We need to teach our children better.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.