The father of a Texas teenager accused of fatally stabbing a rival football player over a seat at a stadium insists his son is a “good kid” who was pushed into violence.
“Everyone has already judged my son, but he’s not who they’re making him out to be,” Andrew Anthony told The Post.
Police arrested 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony on Wednesday for allegedly killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a track meet, leaving the victim to die in his twin brother’s arms.
“He’s a good kid. He works two jobs. He’s an A student with a 3.7 GPA,” his father said, heartbroken.
Austin Metcalf was stabbed during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025.
Frisco police charged Karmelo Anthony with first-degree murder.
Andrew Anthony emphasized that his son didn’t start the fight over a seat at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, where the boys’ schools were competing in a track meet.
“He wasn’t the aggressor. He didn’t start it,” he said.
A Deadly Dispute
According to the victim’s father, the altercation began when Karmelo was told he was sitting in the wrong spot. That’s when he allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed Austin in the chest as Austin’s identical twin, Hunter Metcalf, watched helplessly.
Hunter tried to save his brother.
“I tried to turn around as fast as I could,” Hunter told WFAA, fighting tears. “I looked at my brother and… I’m not going to talk about the rest. I tried to help him.”
Meghan and Hunter Metcalf spoke to WFAA in the wake of the tragedy.
“They were identical twins,” Jeff Metcalf, the boys’ father, said to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. “Hunter was holding him, trying to stop the bleeding, and Austin died in his brother’s arms.”
Hunter called his parents immediately after the stabbing. Jeff Metcalf rushed to the stands, where he found his son unresponsive on a gurney.
“There was so much blood. I saw where he’d been stabbed. I found Hunter, and we rushed to the hospital. We prayed. I don’t understand it, but it was God’s plan. They couldn’t save him. This is murder,” he said.
A Life Cut Short
The stabbing occurred around 10 a.m. during the UIL District 11-5A championship meet at Kuykendall Stadium.
The teen died at a local hospital.
“Despite life-saving efforts by police and fire personnel, including CPR and a blood transfusion, the 17-year-old died,” Frisco police reported.
Jeff Metcalf questioned how a teen ended up bringing a knife to a high school event.
“I’m not trying to judge, but what kind of parents raise a child like that? What was he taught? He brought a knife to a track meet and stabbed my son in the heart. He was asked to move, got angry, and this happened. It’s murder,” he said.
Still, he said he had already forgiven Karmelo.
“You know what, I forgive him. I already have. God will take care of things. He’ll take care of me and my family,” Jeff Metcalf said.
