There are new details in the high-profile case against a Black Texas teenager accused of the stabbing death of a white teen. Then-17-year-old Karmelo Anthony was arrested in April in connection with the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf after the two were allegedly involved in an altercation at a track meet. Now, a Texas grand jury has formally indicted Anthony on charges of first-degree murder. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced the indictment on June 24.
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“We know this case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond. That’s understandable. When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core,” he said in a statement. “But the justice system works best when it moves with steadiness and with principle. That’s what we’re committed to. And that’s exactly what this case deserves.”
In a statement, Anthony’s attorney Mike Howard said the family has faith in the justice system and believes he will have a fair opportunity to present his defense.
“Karmelo and his family are confident in the justice system and the people of Collin County to be fair and impartial. Of course, Karmelo looks forward to his day in court,” he said in a statement.
If convicted, Anthony faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison.
According to a post on X, Frisco, Texas, police say they arrived on the scene at the David Kuykendall Stadium around 10:00 am on April 2. They were responding to calls of “an altercation between two students which resulted in one stabbing the other.”
Witnesses told police that Austin Metcalf got into a disagreement with Anthony, after he asked Anthony to remove himself from a tent that was set up for athletes from Metcalf’s school, PEOPLE reported.
Bystanders said they heard Anthony telling Metcalf, “Touch me and see what happens.” When the confrontation got physical, they said Anthony pulled a knife out of a backpack and stabbed Metcalf in the chest before running away. Metcalf was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Anthony is being held in Collin County Jail on a one million dollar bond and has been charged with first degree murder, according to NBC5DFW.
Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that Anthony told police at the scene that he stabbed Metcalf in self-defense. “He put his hands on me,” the teenager said. “I told him not to.”
While Anthony’s family prepares his legal defense, they want to convince others that the image of the teenager as a cold-blooded killer that has played out in the media is a false narrative. The family has set up a support fund on the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo to support his legal defense.
“The narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful. As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever,” the family wrote on the donation page.
The fund has raised over $500,000 to date, and donors are leaving words of encouragement for the teen and his family.
“The truth will come to light. Keep your head high my friend,” wrote one anonymous donor.
Additionally, there are those who say this wasn’t Anthony’s first encounter with the Metcalf brothers, who have reportedly bullied him in the past. One person’s Facebook post says he knows the kind of home Anthony was raised in.
“Karmelo comes from a home filled with love—surrounded by a beautiful, diverse family of all colors, and backgrounds. Race has never been a factor in his heart, because love is what raised him,” Kevin Hayes wrote on Facebook. “When people who have never met him—who don’t know his heart, his story, his spirit—try to tear him down, it reveals just how broken this world can be. It shows how quick society is to judge, to stereotype, to villainize—especially when it comes to our youth.”
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