Frisco ISD allowed restricted viewing of surveillance footage from the Kuykendall Stadium incident, citing student privacy and security.
FRISCO, Texas — Frisco ISD has permitted limited viewing of the surveillance video from the April 2nd incident at Kuykendall Stadium. This event led to the tragic death of Memorial High School student Austin Metcalf and the subsequent arrest of student Karmelo Anthony.
The district chose not to distribute copies of the video but allowed journalists to watch it, emphasizing the importance of student privacy and maintaining school security. Reporters from WFAA were prohibited from capturing images or recordings of the video.
The footage, captured by a wide-angle camera, provides a distant view covering half the stadium, with the incident occurring in a minor section of the top left corner near the Memorial High School team tent. Due to the camera angle and distance, it is challenging to identify the number of individuals involved or the precise nature of the activities taking place at the tent.
Metcalf and Anthony are not identifiable in the video shown to WFAA. At around 9:55 a.m., a sudden movement is observed at the tent, but the alleged act itself is not visible. There are a lot of moving, but heavily pixelated, figures at the top of the bleachers, just above the tent and at the bottom of the tent. It appears to be sprinkling at the time.
Shortly after, several individuals — believed to be students — are seen running from the area, while others on the field react and move toward a back gate. Emergency medical services arrive about nine minutes later, entering through that same gate and parking at midfield.
Austin’s brother, Hunter, previously told WFAA that he held his brother until first responders started attempting resuscitation.
“I tried to whip around as fast as I could,” Hunter said. “I looked at my brother, and I’m not going to talk about the rest. I tried to help him.”
Paramedics are seen wheeling a gurney to the area at the bottom of the bleachers, where apparent triage efforts for Metcalf take place. About 15 minutes after the incident, a tarp is raised over the bleachers—an image later captured by helicopter news cameras. The rain is beginning to fall heavily at this time.
Roughly 26 minutes after the incident, EMS units depart, and individuals believed to be law enforcement are seen near the crime scene around the tent.
This surveillance footage is expected to be a key piece of evidence in the legal proceedings ahead. A grand jury may review it in the coming weeks to determine whether to indict.
Karmelo Anthony’s attorney, Mike Howard of The Law Office of Mike Howard, confirms he has seen the footage, though neither family has disclosed whether they have. Anthony is currently facing a murder charge and is under house arrest and an ankle monitor.
A funeral was held for Austin on April 12 at Hope Fellowship Frisco East, followed by a private burial.
The case has sparked deep tension. Recently, concerns have been raised about whether the case may be tried outside of Collin County.
“Ultimately, that’ll be a judge’s decision to make at the time of trial, but, yes, this happened in Collin County. I want Collin County citizens to be able to decide this,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis told WFAA in an April interview.
