The family of a teenager charged in the stabbing death of a Texas track athlete has spoken out for the first time since the killing.Karmelo Anthony, 17, was charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an April 2 track meet in the Dallas suburb of Frisco.Anthony was released on a $250,000 bond on April 14 after the bond amount was reduced from $1 million. In a statement to USA TODAY on April 15, Anthony’s defense attorney said the teen was back home with his family.The judge who released Anthony on bond considered his age, his clean record, and whether he was a flight risk, USA TODAY previously reported. Anthony has been issued an electronic monitor and will remain on house arrest, only leaving with court approval, court records say.Now Anthony’s family is speaking out.’Our family has been under attack’Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, spoke at a news conference on April 17. Though she didn’t talk much about Anthony specifically, she said that since the stabbing, her family has endured harassment, death threats, rumors and their home and work addresses being leaked.”Our family has been under attack,” she said. “Whatever you think that happened between Karmelo and the Metcalf boys, my three younger children, my husband and I didn’t do anything to deserve to be threatened, harassed and lied about. The lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week, has been overwhelming.”Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) Previously RecordedFor the first time, the parents of Karmelo Anthony will speak publicly regarding their son’s case.Join us as they address the falsehoods, hateful attacks, and intentional lies that have been spread about their family during this difficult time.This moment is about truth, dignity, and justice.#JusticeForKarmeloAnthony#NGANPosted by Next Generation Action Network on Thursday, April 17, 2025She said her husband took a leave of absence from work “because he’s afraid what may happen to our family” and that his “mental health is deteriorating day by day.” Her 13-year-old daughter, she said, “is afraid to sleep in her own bedroom because she’s fearful of what might happen to her.”She encouraged the public to let the legal system handle the case, saying her son deserved a fair trial “where the truth will come out.””For the family who experienced the loss, my heart goes out for you ,” she said. “So those who have supported my family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We ask for your continued support, patience and prayers as we navigate this difficult process.”A fundraiser for Anthony’s family raised more than $480,000 as of April 18.Austin Metcalf’s father tried to attend news conferenceBefore it could begin, Austin Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, was at the news conference as a member of the audience but was escorted out of the building by Dallas Police, reported Fox 4. Metcalf told the station that he only planned to listen and not make a statement himself.Minister Dominique Alexander, president and CEO of social justice organization Next Generation Action Network − which organized the news conference − called Metcalf’s presence “inappropriate.””The father being at this press conference … is a disrespect to the dignity of his son,” Alexander told reporters. “He knows that it is inappropriate to be near this family.”The Metcalfs’ empty home was “swatted” just hours after the conference when Frisco police received a call about a gunshot at the address, according to local media reports. Swatting is a form of harassment named after the specialized law enforcement teams called SWAT that sometimes respond to potentially violent situations.Metcalf’s father “forgives” son’s killerMetcalf spoke at a memorial service for his son on April 12, saying he had forgiven Anthony and feels sorry for him because he made a mistake that would change his life forever, reported KDFW-TV.According to the outlet, the teen was a twin, and he died in his brother’s arms. The weekend before his death, the teens went hunting with their father.”I’m so fortunate to be able to spend that weekend, not knowing it was the last weekend I’ll ever spend with him,” their father said, per the Dallas-based TV station. “My other son is just crushed. I feel for him now, he won’t be the same. None of us will.”As of April 18, two fundraisers for the Metcalf family have raised more than $600,000.Protest planned for this weekendA protest organized by the group Protect White Americans has been scheduled for SaturdayThe protest is being promoted by Jan. 6th insurrectionist Jake Lang, who struck police officers at the riot and organized an extremist militia in jail before being pardoned by President Donald Trump. The poster advertising the protest says Metcalf was “another victim of Black Violence in America” and that the organization wants to “stop Black violence on white Americans.”The protesters are demanding that Anthony be placed back in prison while awaiting trial.Frisco police posted on X that they would be on hand “to ensure the safety of the public while allowing protestors to exercise their 1st Amendment rights in a peaceful manner.”The Frisco Police Department is aware of a protest planned for Saturday, April 19th. Plans are being made accordingly, and Officers will be on-hand to ensure the safety of the public while allowing protestors to exercise their 1st Amendment rights in a peaceful manner. pic.twitter.com/YB9kE9EUqd— Frisco Police (@FriscoPD) April 17, 2025The Next Generation Action Network on April 8 lamented the “escalating racist threats and bigotry directed at the Anthony family.””This justice must be fair and impartial, and protected from biases,” Alexander said during a news conference. “We do not pull the race card. We live it.”What happened to Austin Metcalf?The killing happened the morning of April 2 during a track meet at Frisco Independent School District’s Kuykendall Stadium.Metcalf was a student at Memorial High School and participating in a track meet that day, police said. A witness called for help around 10 a.m. about an altercation between the two teens. First responders tried to save Metcalf but he was eventually pronounced dead, police said.A school resource officer was the first to arrive, according to the arrest warrant affidavit obtained by USA TODAY. The officer recalled telling Anthony to put his hands up, to which the teen allegedly replied, “I was protecting myself.” Anthony said Metcalf put his hands on him, admitted to stabbing Metcalf, and asked, “Is he going to be OK?”During the investigation, one witness said Metcalf told Anthony he needed to move from where he was sitting under Metcalf’s team tent, according to court records.“Anthony grabbed his bag, opened it and reached inside and proceeded to tell (Metcalf), ‘Touch me and see what happens,’” the affidavit read.Metcalf then touched Anthony, who told Metcalf to punch him and see what happens, according to the witness. Metcalf grabbed Anthony and again told him to get from under the team’s tent, then Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before running away, the witness said.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karmelo Anthony’s family speaks out 1st time since track meet stabbing
