A teenager facing charges for allegedly killing a fellow student during a high school track event in a suburb of Dallas was formally charged with murder on Tuesday, according to a prosecutor.
Karmelo Anthony was charged by a grand jury for the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, as announced by Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis. Willis noted that the incident, which took place on April 2 at a school stadium in Frisco, has deeply impacted the community within Collin County and beyond. Anthony, 17 at the time of the incident, has since turned 18.
“When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core,” Willis said.
The stabbing occurred while students from various high schools in the Frisco Independent School District were participating in the meet. An arrest report cites a witness who stated that the altercation began when Anthony sat under a tent designated for Metcalf’s team. Metcalf reportedly asked Anthony to leave, to which Anthony responded, “Touch me and see what happens.”
Metcalf then touched Anthony, and Anthony said to punch him and see what happens, the arrest report said. A short time later, Metcalf grabbed Anthony and Anthony stabbed him with a knife, the report said.
Afterward, Anthony told an officer that he was protecting himself and that Metcalf had “put his hands on me,” according to the report.
Anthony’s attorney, Mike Howard, said Anthony was looking forward to his day in court.
“We expect that when the full story is heard, the prosecution will not be able to rule out the reasonable doubt that Karmelo Anthony may have acted in self-defense,” Howard said.
If convicted, Anthony faces up to life in prison. He was released from jail and placed on house arrest after his bond was reduced.
