Frisco, Texas, April 15, 2025 – Karmelo Anthony, a 17-year-old accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet, walked free on April 14 after a Collin County judge reduced his bond from $1 million to $250,000. Anthony, a student at Frisco Centennial High School, will remain on house arrest with an ankle monitor until his trial, following the April 2 incident at Kuykendall Stadium that left Metcalf, a 17-year-old from Memorial High School, dead.
The altercation occurred during a track meet when Metcalf reportedly grabbed Anthony to move him from Memorial’s tent. Witnesses say Anthony then stabbed Metcalf in the chest, with blood gushing from the wound as Metcalf died in his twin brother Hunter’s arms. Anthony claimed self-defense, telling police, “He put his hands on me, I told him not to,” but prosecutors argue the act was premeditated, noting Anthony brought a knife to the event. The case will now go to a grand jury to determine if Anthony will be indicted, per Collin County DA Greg Willis.
Anthony’s legal team, led by attorney Mike Howard, successfully argued for the bond reduction, citing Anthony’s lack of criminal history and financial constraints, despite a GiveSendGo fundraiser raising over $415,000 by April 14 for his defense. Prosecutors opposed the reduction, questioning why the fundraiser couldn’t cover the original bond and highlighting the severity of the crime. Anthony is now barred from social media and must check in regularly with the court.
The case has stirred controversy, with public sentiment on X divided. Some view Anthony’s release as unjust, while others, including the Next Generation Action Network, see it as a step toward fairness, alleging racial tensions—Anthony is Black, Metcalf was white—and claiming Metcalf was the aggressor. Frisco police and the FBI are investigating fake social media posts that have further inflamed these tensions.
The tragedy has deeply affected both families. Metcalf’s memorial service was held on April 12, with a GoFundMe for his family raising over $300,000. As of April 15, the case continues to unfold, spotlighting issues of race, justice, and youth violence in the Frisco community.
