Anthony and Metcalf were track athletes from different schools. Blavity reported that the two got into an argument during a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, which ended in Metcalf’s death after Anthony allegedly stabbed him in the chest.

The Texas teen has since pleaded self-defense, claiming Metcalf put his hands on him during the dispute.

Here’s everything to know about Anthony’s case — including what led to the deadly incident, his self-defense claim, both teens’ backgrounds and how the Texas law he’s being charged under has primarily affected Black and brown youth.

What happened at the track meet?

Anthony, a former student at Centennial High School, and Metcalf, who attended Memorial High School, reportedly did not know each other. The two exchanged words before Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf in the chest. According to court documents obtained by Fox 4 KDFW, witnesses identified Anthony as the suspect to a school resource officer who was the first to arrive at the scene moments after the incident.

At the time, Anthony told the officer that he was “protecting himself” after Metcalf had allegedly put his hands on him, even though Anthony said he warned the 17-year-old not to touch him. Police later labeled Anthony as the alleged suspect, but Anthony admitted to the stabbing and said: “I’m not alleged. I did it,” according to Fox 4 and Blavity.

Police told Anthony’s defense that they had interviewed more than 75 people who allegedly witnessed the stabbing, per Fox 4. Two witnesses from Memorial High School stated that Anthony walked over and sat down under the school’s pop-up tent.

They both stated in their testimonies that both Anthony and Metcalf had a back-and-forth after Metcalf told him that he had to leave and that the tent only belonged to Memorial High School students. Metcalf allegedly touched and shoved Anthony, and Anthony allegedly reached inside of his bag, pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf before walking away, according to statements obtained by Fox 4.

What is Karmelo Anthony charged with?

The now-18-year-old is charged with first-degree murder.

Anthony was released on a $250,000 bond, initially set at $1 million. Collin County Judge Angela Tucker had lowered the bail since Anthony did not have a criminal history prior to the incident.

He was required to wear an ankle monitor and check in with the court regularly. According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, failure to comply with these conditions would result in Anthony being taken back into custody immediately.

Due to the severity of the case, Anthony and his family later relocated to an undisclosed location for his safety because they received death threats.

Who is Karmelo Anthony?

Anthony was born is Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his family moved to North Texas in 2021, per Fox 4.

He was a student at Centennial High School, with a 3.7 GPA, and he was the captain of both the football and track teams. Anthony also worked at Foot Locker for two years in addition to his second job at H-E-B.

Blavity reported that Anthony earned his High School diploma earlier in May, despite facing backlash from the public and Metcalf’s family. Frisco’s Independent School District confirmed that he was not allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

He is the oldest of four children.

Who was Austin Metcalf?

Metcalf was a junior at Memorial High School.

His father, Jeff Metcalf, described him as an honor student who was a natural leader and talented athlete. He was also a twin to his brother, Hunter Metcalf, according to Fox 4.

Jeff recalled the last weekend he spent with his sons. All four of them went hunting, which was something they enjoyed doing together.

“I’m so fortunate to be able to spend that weekend, not knowing it was the last weekend I’ll ever spend with him,” Jeff said, according to the outlet. “I was able to watch and be blessed, so much, to have such, both my sons are amazing. My other son is just crushed. I feel for him now, he won’t be the same. None of us will.”

Metcalf’s funeral was held on April 12.

What is a ‘direct file’ law, and how does it impact Black and brown youth?

Capital B News reported that Anthony’s first-degree murder charge is being prosecuted under Texas’ “concurrent jurisdiction” laws, often referred to as prosecutor “direct file” laws.

According to a report from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, statutes in 15 states determine a category of cases in which a prosecutor decides to try a defendant in juvenile or criminal court.

“Typically, these direct file provisions give both juvenile and adult criminal courts the power to hear cases involving certain offenses or age/offense categories, leaving it up to the prosecutor to make discretionary decisions about where to file them,” the report states.

These laws often give prosecutors the discretion to charge minors as adults, exposing them to the maximum penalties allowed under the law.

People of color — especially Black Americans — face disproportionately high rates of arrest, conviction and sentencing due to systemic bias.
They are also more likely to be involved in or fall victim to homicide, according to a 2024 report from The Sentencing Project.

In 2024, over one-third of all individuals serving life sentences — 68,429 people — were under 25 when they committed their crimes. Black Americans were overrepresented among those serving life sentences; they made up 37% of adults serving life with parole but 48% of those sentenced before age 25, per The Sentencing Project.