Things are not going well for Karmelo Anthony compared to a couple months ago. Despite confessing to the stabbing that led to the death of athlete Austin Metcalf at a track event on April 2, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, Anthony was given greatly reduced bail and allowed to remain under house arrest by a progressive activist judge.
Anthony’s family posted a public fundraiser on GiveSendGo which ultimately raised over $500,000 for legal expenses. Many of the donations included racially charged messages calling for Karmelo to be “protected” regardless of his crime simply because he is black and his victim was white. The stabbing has been represented as an act of self defense, but also as “payback” against white people.
The call for donations was then amended to include money needed for “relocation” (a new home) after the family claimed they received threats. Karmelo was allowed by Texas courts to leave the state for an “undisclosed location” until his trial, a highly unusual accommodation. Furthermore, the Anthony’s have engaged in a press bonanza which has turned the case into a circus.
The family continues to assert that the stabbing of Austin Metcalf was an act of self defense, but video evidence might suggest otherwise.
Reporters have been allowed to view footage taken of the incident (footage that will not be released to the public) and there are no reports of Metcalf attacking Anthony. Though accounts of the video are vague, there appears to be no evidence so far that Anthony was acting in self defense. Not long after reporters were allowed to see the video, a Grand Jury issued an indictment for Karmelo Anthony. The charge is murder.
The Anthony’s are now asking donors for even more money, to the tune of $1.4 million.
The outcome should not be surprising given the known facts of the incident. Anthony admits to stabbing Metcalf. He admits to bring deadly weapon to a school track meet. He admits to invading the tent of another team and witnesses say that he refused to leave when asked. There is no report of Austin Metcalf having a weapon when he was stabbed by Anthony and deadly force cannot be legally used against another person unless a defender has a reasonable fear of mortal harm.
Hellbound and Down 