Support fund for Karmelo Anthony — suspect in murder of HS star athlete Austin Metcalf — rises past $150,000 mark

The online support fund for 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony — the suspect in last week's murder of Texas high school star athlete Austin Metcalf, also 17 — has risen past the $150,000 mark.

The "Help Karmelo Official Fund" on GiveSendGo reached $159,479 at 11 a.m. ET Monday, and the figure appears to be rising quickly. The goal is $200,000.

'I know that my client said it was self-defense.'

"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 fund states.

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.”

Anthony's family on Friday hired defense attorney Deric Walpole, who told KXAS in a separate story that he requested a hearing this week to lower Anthony’s $1 million bond. His client is behind bars in Collin County Jail.

"I know that my client said it was self-defense. I don't have any reason to disbelieve that, but I need to develop facts and talk to people and figure out what's going on before I make any statements about what I think happened," Walpole told KXAS. "I don't have any reason to think it wasn't self-defense at this time."

You can view a video report here about the case's new details.

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

After the stabbing, 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 to not 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.

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