A Texas high schooler’s deadly attack on another student at a track meet has triggered legal motions, family grief, and fundraisers as both sides speak out. Seventeen-year-old Karmelo Anthony directly admitted to police that he was responsible for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, a Memorial High School student, during a track meet in Frisco on April 3. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC 5 Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW), when officers referred to him as the “alleged suspect,” Karmelo, a student at Centennial High School, responded with, “I’m not alleged, I did it.” The affidavit details Karmelo claiming he acted in self-defense, telling a school resource officer on the scene, “I was protecting myself,” and “He put his hands on me.” Authorities say he also asked officers whether what happened could be considered self-defense and whether the victim would be okay.
Karmelo’s admission came shortly after the incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. on April 3, Thursday, during a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. According to an arrest affidavit, Karmelo had taken shelter under a pop-up tent belonging to another school as rain began to fall. When he was asked to move, an altercation broke out between him and Austin, 17. A witness told police that Karmelo unzipped his bag, reached inside, and warned him, “Touch me and see what happens.” Moments later, Austin allegedly grabbed Karmelo, who then pulled out a black knife and stabbed him once in the chest. A school resource officer from nearby Staley Middle School was the first to respond. Austin suffered a fatal wound to the heart. His father, Jeff Metcalf, said his son died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter.
“They were twins, identical twins, and his brother was holding on to him, trying to make it stop bleeding, and he died in his brother’s arms,” he recalled. He further explained that he rushed to the scene after learning about the stabbing. When he arrived, he found Austin on a gurney and was told his son wasn’t breathing. He described seeing a large amount of blood and the location of the wound. Deeply concerned, he searched for Hunter, and the two went together to the hospital. There, the family prayed as doctors attempted to save his son’s life. Despite their efforts, Austin could not be revived. His father described the loss as part of “God’s plan,” though he said he didn’t understand it and called what happened “murder.”
Austin’s mother, Meghan, recalled rushing to the hospital as soon as Hunter called her. “My son is not here anymore, and I don’t understand it,” she said. “He was the most amazing kid. So smart. He had college football guys looking at him to play in college. His goal was to play in college.” Hunter remembered reacting immediately when the incident happened. He turned quickly to his brother and, though visibly emotional, chose not to describe the full scene. He shared that he did everything he could to help Austin in those critical moments. Hunter said Austin “did everything” for their family. “As a linebacker, he was a stud, and I always tried to fill those shoes and play with him. I had a blast my whole life playing sports with him,” he remarked.
Although Austin was only four minutes older, Hunter said he always looked up to him, adding, “He was a big brother even though we’re the same age.” Meghan shared the emotional weight of losing her son and spoke about how she and her family intend to carry his memory forward. “We just want to make sure that everybody knows how much Austin is still going to be in our lives as far as our memories and our hearts forever. It’s going to be really hard,” she explained. In a joint statement released on April 4, Friday, Meghan and Hunter thanked the community for its overwhelming support. They said they would leave the investigation in the hands of detectives while focusing on commemorating Austin’s life and legacy.
