The alleged killing of a white teenager by a Black teen at a Frisco track meet last year drew national attention and online sparring over the role of race in the attack.
Karmelo Anthony faces first-degree murder charges for the killing of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco high school track meet last year. The trial started in Collin County on Monday at 9 a.m.
The Judge presiding over the case, John Roach Jr., set strict rules for the courtroom, including a gag order issued last July barring people involved in the trial from discussing the case online or with the media.
What happened?
Anthony and Metcalf crossed paths at a Frisco high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on a rainy day in April last year. Both were 17-year-old Frisco high school students at the time. Anthony attended Centennial High School, and Metcalf attended Memorial High School.
Anthony was sitting in the Memorial High School tent at the track meet according to the arrest report. Witnesses told police Anthony pulled out a knife after Metcalf either grabbed or pushed Anthony after Anthony told Metcalf “touch me and see what happens.” The witnesses told police they didn’t realize Anthony had a weapon.
The 17-year-old high school student confessed to stabbing Metcalf, responding “I’m not alleged, I did it” when the arresting officer referred to him as the alleged suspect. Anthony said he acted in self-defense.
“As we were walking to the squad car, the suspect was emotional and said, ‘he put his hands on me, I told him not to,” the report said.
Anthony asked officers if Metcalf, who died from his injuries, was going to be OK, according to the arrest report. Metcalf died from his injuries at the scene.
National attention
The case attracted national attention over issues of race. Metcalf’s father has said multiple times his son’s death wasn’t about race. And the arrest report doesn’t mention witness statements about race being a factor. But thousands online still assume otherwise.
The Anthony family has faced a barrage of racist attacks and false accusations online.
Several people online have accused the Anthony family of using funds from a GiveSendGo campaign that raised about $500,000 on a new house and a Cadillac. Anthony’s attorney told the judge during his bond hearing most of the funds were spent on legal fees.
Kala Hayes, Anthony’s mother, told reporters at a press conference last year the rampant misinformation online has put her family in jeopardy.
"My 13-year-old daughter is afraid to sleep in her own bedroom because she is fearful of what might happen to her,” Hayes told the reporters while sobbing.
The family later moved out of their home to an undisclosed location due to threats.
Jake Lang, who was among the people pardoned by President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, posted about the case repeatedly on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling Anthony a “black thug” and Metcalf “another victim of Black Violence in America.” He also traveled to Frisco to host a “Protect White Americans” protest at the stadium where the attack occurred.
In a video that went viral online, Lang chastised Austin Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, over the phone at the protest for not supporting his cause.
“I grew up as a 17-year-old young white man too, and I grew in fear of my life around Black people because they were killing and robbing people around me all the time,” he said. “And I don't understand how as a father you could sit idly by and not condemn the culture that killed your son.”
Metcalf responded by telling Lang he was part of the problem.
“You’re trying to create more race divide than bridging the gap,” he said. “I do not condone anything you do.”
Lang responded that Metcalf had white guilt.
“You’re creating more Austin Metcalfs with your weakness, sir” he told the grieving father.
Lang shared a video of the heated phone call on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post received almost ten thousand likes and 1,700 shares.
Metcalf faced criticism online for condemning the racist attacks against the Anthony family. And Frisco Police confirmed a home associated with the Metcalf family was swatted with false 911 calls multiple times.
The judge who lowered Anthony’s bail from $1 million to $250,000, Angela Tucker, a two-time Governor Greg Abbott appointee, also received threats.
Law enforcement in Frisco are grappling with the consequences of misinformation online. The Frisco Police Department shared a post on social media urging people to be cautious about what they read about the case on the Internet.
“Only official releases from verified accounts should be trusted,” the department said. “Do not contribute to the misinformation by spreading unconfirmed information.”
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis also cautioned the public to be wary of misinformation. He said in a social media post that Anthony, who’s 17, can’t receive the death penalty or life without parole under state and federal law. Anthony’s charge, first-degree murder, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison with parole eligibility after thirty years or half of the sentence.
“My office has a long track record of seeking the maximum sentence legally available in violent cases,” Willis said. “Any sentence we seek is based on the facts, the law, and what justice demands. But we won’t engage in political theater or make promises that violate the Constitution.”
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
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