Online funding for Karmelo Anthony — accused of stabbing to death HS star athlete Austin Metcalf — tops $250,000

The GiveSendGo funding for 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony — who's accused of stabbing to death Texas high school start athlete Austin Metcalf last week — topped $250,000 on Tuesday.

The "Help Karmelo Official Fund" support amount passed the $150,000 mark on Monday with a goal amount set at $200,000. The new goal amount on Tuesday is $300,000.

'During this difficult time, we urge the public to refrain from rushing to judgment before all the facts and evidence are presented.'

"The narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful. As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever," the Anthony family tells potential donors on the fund page.

Frisco Police told KXAS-TV they arrested and charged Anthony with the murder of Metcalf at a track meet Wednesday morning.

Jeff Metcalf, the victim's father, added to the station that the suspect got angry after being told he was in the wrong place at Kuykendall Stadium and being asked to move: "I'm not trying to judge, but what kind of parents did this child have? What was he taught? He brought a knife to a track meet, and he murdered my son by stabbing him in the heart. The guy was in the wrong place, and they asked him to move, and he bowed up. This is murder."

Andrew Anthony, the suspect's father, painted a different picture, however.

“Everyone has already made their assumptions about my son, but he’s not what they’re making him out to be,” Andrew Anthony told the New York Post, adding that his son "was not the aggressor" in the confrontation and "was not the one who started it."

“He’s a good kid. He works two jobs. He’s an A student, has a 3.7 GPA,” Anthony added to the paper about his son, a senior at Centennial High School.

The suspect's father also told the Post, “I feel bad for the other parents and family, and words can’t explain how both [families] have been affected by this tragedy.”

While KXAS in a separate story said Anthony's family on Friday hired defense attorney Deric Walpole, ABC News reported Tuesday that Anthony's family retained Dallas-Fort Worth-area defense attorneys Billy Clark of the Clark Law Firm and Kim Cole of K Cole Law in the case. The news network cited a joint press release from their firms.

"Karmelo and the entire Anthony family are sincerely saddened that a life was lost and offer their condolences to the family of Austin Metcalf," the attorneys said in a statement on Monday, ABC News reported.

"During this difficult time, we urge the public to refrain from rushing to judgment before all the facts and evidence are presented," they continued, according to the news network. "Karmelo, like all citizens of the United States, is entitled to a fair and impartial legal process; we are committed to ensuring that Karmelo's rights are indeed protected throughout each phase of the criminal justice system."

Anthony is being held in the Collin County jail on a $1 million bond, but Clark and Cole told ABC News they plan to work with the Collin County District Attorney's Office to seek a reduced bond and a "better determination of the filed charge."

'I'm not alleged. I did it.'

After the stabbing last Wednesday, the arresting officer said Anthony reportedly told him, "I was protecting myself," before the officer questioned him about the incident, WFAA-TV reported, citing the arrest affidavit.

Anthony also reportedly told the officer that Metcalf "put his hands on [him]," the station said, citing the affidavit, after which Anthony was handcuffed.

The arresting officer soon told a fellow officer arriving on the scene that he had the alleged suspect — and Anthony reportedly interjected, "I'm not alleged, I did it," WFAA reported.

A witness reportedly noted to police that Metcalf — who competed for Memorial High School — told Anthony he had to move from under his team's tent, the station said, citing the affidavit. With that Anthony opened his bag and reached inside, the witness told police, WFAA said.

"Touch me and see what happens," Anthony told Metcalf, the station added, citing a witness.

Metcalf reportedly touched Anthony, the witness told an officer, and Anthony told Metcalf to punch him and see what would happen, WFAA reported.

Metcalf then reportedly grabbed Anthony, after which Anthony reportedly pulled out what the witness recalled as a black knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before running away, the witness said, the station reported, citing the affidavit.

Metcalf reportedly grabbed his chest and told others to get help, the witness told police, according to WFAA.

While Anthony was in the back seat of a police vehicle, an officer saw fresh blood on his left middle finger, the station said, citing the affidavit.

More from WFAA:

The document states that Anthony also reportedly asked the officer if Metcalf was going to be OK while he was in the back seat of the vehicle. While being escorted to the squad car, Anthony asked an officer if his actions could be considered self-defense.

According to the affidavit, the knife Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf with was later found in the bleachers at the track. Anthony had reportedly thrown it there following the stabbing. Anthony is being held in the Collin County jail where his bond amount has been set to $1,000,000.

'This is not a race issue'

Jeff Metcalf urged those on social media not to use his son's death to stir up political and racial divisiveness, WFAA said.

"This is not a race issue. This is not a black and white issue. I don't want someone stepping up on their soapbox trying to politicize this. Unless you were there, unless you saw it: Don't spread gossip," Metcalf noted to the station.

When asked about Anthony's insistence that he acted in self-defense, Metcalf told WFAA that stabbing a person who tells you to move at a school track meet isn't a reasonable response.

"If you're caught, the best thing you're going to do is lie your way out of it," Metcalf added to the station. "The truth will come out. There were too many people there who saw what happened."

WFAA said police listed in Anthony's arrest documents more than 30 witnesses who saw the stabbing, including students and coaches.

Fake social media posts about murder case

In addition, Frisco Police Chief David Shilson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram his department is investigating fake social media posts in the wake of Metcalf's killing.

For example, a Facebook account using Shilson’s name said the killing was not unprovoked and that Metcalf initiated the confrontation, the Star-Telegram reported, citing a copy of the post.

The paper said Frisco Police responded in a Facebook statement last week: “The post is NOT from an official source and may contain information that is false or misleading. Rely only on FPD’s verified social media accounts.”

The Star-Telegram said an image of a false autopsy report from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office also was circulating online, and Frisco police called it out in a post on X. “At this time, the report has NOT been released. Therefore, any information currently found online is FALSE.”

Shilson said in a statement that Frisco police will pursue criminal charges against whoever made the social media posts, the paper said, adding that the offense is a third-degree felony.

“I ask everyone to be cautious of the inaccurate information that is circulating related to this incident, and to only trust information that comes from official releases and verified sources,” Shilson said, according to the paper. “Beware of those taking to social media to deliberately spread misinformation, hate, fear and division.”

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