HS track athlete stabbed & killed at track meet; suspect found guilty of murder

Coach recalls Karmelo Anthony's emotional admission after stabbing​

The next witness, Vincent Hooper, is currently the head football coach at Heritage High School and was the head track coach up until this year.

Hooper was also asked about the tents and said it's not unusual for students to walk to other tents to say hi.

He too testified that he saw kids scattering and was told there had been a stabbing. He said Memorial High School athletic trainer Tiffany Whitaker handed Anthony to him and said, "Don't let him leave."

Hooper said he put his arm around Anthony's shoulder, they walked around the track and he asked Anthony what he did.

"He said, 'He put his hands on me. I stabbed him," said Hooper.

With tears on the witness stand, Hooper said he told Anthony that if Metcalf died, it would change the rest of his life. At that point, Hooper said that Anthony started crying and he had to comfort him. Hooper said Anthony's emotions seemed genuine and he handed him off to the Centennial High School coach.

The defense also questioned Hooper, who again said he felt Anthony's emotions were genuine, saying that Anthony didn't try to run from him.

"I don't think he thought he stabbed him in the spot he stabbed him in," said Hooper.

Jury hears 911 call after Frisco track meet stabbing​

Next, the prosecution called Joshua Rebmann, the Liberty Defensive coordinator, to the stand.

Rebmann was at the meet and said, "All of a sudden, there was just panic and scatter."

He said that he saw Austin Metcalf, got him on the ground, put pressure on the wound and asked a coach to call 911.

"At the time, it was a pretty good-sized wound in his abdomen," said Rebmann. "I was trying to push his brother to the side."

He testified that it felt like 10 minutes had gone by before paramedics arrived, and he knew Metcalf was gone.

Rebmann said he talked to detectives and went back to the high school to talk with other coaches, adding that he couldn't believe what happened.

The prosecution then played the 911 call as the Metcalf family wiped away tears.

Austin Metcalf's teammate recounts what led up to the stabbing​

After a lunch break, the prosecution called a Memorial High School track athlete to the stand who witnessed the fatal encounter between his teammate Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony. The judge prohibited the media from identifying the witness.

The witness said that by the time he arrived, Anthony was already under the Memorial High School tent in the bleachers at Kuykendall Stadium. The witness recounted that he and other Memorial athletes under the tent asked Anthony to leave multiple times.

At first it was not aggressive, he said, but then tensions escalated.

"I remember Karmelo refusing to leave and Austin saying 'You need to leave,' and Karmelo saying 'Touch me and find out,'" the witness said.

The witness also denied that anyone was ganging up on Anthony, and that Anthony was the one provoking the situation. The defense is arguing that Anthony acted in self defense.

"Austin leans in to push him and Karmelo stabs him," the witness said. "Karmelo had his hands inside a backpack and we thought it was bluff."

He said he and others didn't believe Anthony would do anything because they live in a safe community.

Witness on moment after Metcalf was stabbed: "He lifted up his shirt where his chest was all bloody""​

The witness then recounted what happened after the stabbing.

"Austin fell down the bleachers onto his back and he got up," he said. "He lifted up his shirt where his chest was all bloody and he said, "I think I got stabbed.'"

The prosecutor then asked about Metcalf's shove of Anthony.

"I wouldn't say it was a light shove or a hard shove, I would say it was more of an in-between," the witness said.

The witness also said that Austin Metcalf's brother Hunter was not involved. In the defense's opening statement, attorney Mike Howard said that both Metcalfs confronted Anthony and that Anthony "made a split-second" decision out of fear.

Witness recounts Austin Metcalf's shove of Karmelo Anthony​

On cross-examination, defense attorney Toby Shook asked the witness to describe the Metcalf and Anthony's movements leading up to the stabbing.

The witness said Anthony was seated with his backpack in his lap and his hand inside. Metcalf approached Anthony, and then pushed him by placing his both of hands on Anthony's shoulders.

Anthony then pulled the knife out of his backpack and pushed Metcalf back while stabbing him in the chest, the witness said.

Teammate says stabbing was not self‑defense, describes provocation​

A 16‑year‑old witness – a wide receiver who also runs hurdles and the 400 in track – said the day felt completely normal before the stabbing. He recalled "nothing unusual going on that day" and noted that the rain "was not bad prior to the stabbing."

What first caught his attention was an unfamiliar athlete (later identified as Karmelo Anthony) stepping directly into their team space.

"He walked up and stood in our tent," the witness said.

The witness immediately questioned why someone from another school would be there, saying, "It's kind of weird when other schools come and stand under our tent."

According to him, Austin Metcalf confronted Karmelo Anthony right away: "Austin asked him why he's in the tent."

But the situation didn't resolve.

"Austin asked him multiple times to leave our tent, and he proceeded not to," the teen witness said. "He did state multiple times that he had something in his bag."

The witness said Austin Metcalf grew visibly irritated, explaining that "Austin seemed frustrated" and that "Austin just wanted him out of there."

Then everything escalated in an instant.

He said Karmelo Anthony nudged Austin Metcalf and then stabbed him. Chaos followed. He recalled that "everyone started freaking out."

Austin Metcalf, in shock, kept repeating: "I got stabbed."

The witness also said Hunter Metcalf was present throughout the entire incident and emphasized that "no one saw this coming."

As for Anthony's exit from the tent, the witness described it as strangely calm: "It was really odd." He added, "I think he (Karmelo Anthony) was just trying to get away."

He said he believed the incident was not self‑defense, saying Karmelo Anthony provoked the stabbing.

Frisco Memorial student: "Stuff like this never happened" after fatal track‑meet stabbing​

Another witness, a 17‑year‑old Frisco Memorial High School student who plays football and competes in track, said his mother and sister were at the meet. His sister is on the track team, and his mother worked concessions.

He said that when he arrived at the team tent, he was putting on his shorts and saw Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony.

"Austin was asking him who are you because no one really knew who he was," the witness said. "He was trying to provoke Austin to touch him."

"He (Karmelo Anthony) was like 'touch me, touch me' and see what happens," he said.

"Austin told him I'm not going to fight you at a track meet," he said. "That's exactly his words."

He said Austin Metcalf just touched him on the shoulder. He said he then heard Austin say, "He stabbed me," and saw Karmelo Anthony run away.

He said he believes Karmelo Anthony provoked him, noting the conversation between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf was short, less than 5 minutes, and that Austin Metcalf never held on to Karmelo Anthony or anything like that.

"Stuff like this never happened – not at a track meet, not in Frisco," he said. "... Austin was my team captain in football and told me he believed in me. It felt like I lost that one extra person who believed in me and pushed me to be great."

The 17-year-old witness said he had a really hard time with the loss.

"It shook my sister worse than it shook me," he said.

Frisco Liberty graduate says she heard, "if you wanted me to move, you'd have to move me," before stabbing​

A recent Frisco Liberty High School graduate who competed in track and discus said her team's tent was about 5½ feet from Memorial High School's tent, and it had been raining off and on throughout the day.

She said she heard commotion coming from the Memorial tent, describing it as "more so people wanting a certain person to leave, that person refusing to go."

She heard Karmelo Anthony say: "If you wanted me to move, you'd have to move me."

She said Austin Metcalf didn't seem to want to fight.

After the stabbing, she said, "I just heard his brother trying to find help for him."

She said she feels some of the news coverage has been unfair and that it has taken a racial angle. She said she doesn't think the case has anything to do with race and does not think it was self-defense.

Teen witness says he doesn't believe Karmelo Anthony acted in self-defense. "That's lethal force"​

The 17-year-old witness said he was in the tent when Austin Metcalf asked Anthony to leave.

Prosecutor: "Was it your impression Karmelo Anthony was trying to provoke Austin Metcalf?"

Witness: "Yes."

Prosecutor: "Did Austin respond to being provoked?"

Witness: "He put his hand on his shoulder."

Prosecutor: "Did you see the motion?"

Witness: "Yes."

Prosecutor: "Were you surprised?"

Witness: "You don't expect someone to get stabbed at a track meet."

The teen told the prosecution that after the stabbing, he went into a state of panic because "Austin was moving, and I saw the cut on his chest."

He said he and other teammates ran.

Prosecutor: "Was there any reason you saw for Karmelo Anthony to stab Austin Metcalfe?"

Witness "No."

Prosecutor: "Was Karmelo Anthony acting in self-defense?"

Witness: "No, that's lethal force against non-lethal force."

Teen witness asked about written statement during cross-examination​

During cross-examination of the 17-year-old, defense attorney Toby Shook asked, "Do you remember telling the detective that Hunter [Metcalf] popped in and defended Austin?"

Witness: "Yes."

Shook: "Do you remember in your written statement saying Austin put his hand on his shoulder to intimidate?"

Witness: "Yes. More of a warning. Actions speak louder than words."

Shook: "Bigger build?" (Austin)

Witness: "Yeah, more broad."

Then, the witness was asked to step down.

Witness says Austin "pushed" Karmelo, tried to force him out because they "didn't have any other choice."​

Another teen witness, who was a freshman at the time of the stabbing, was called to the stand by the prosecution. The teen described the scene that day and shared his account of what led to the stabbing of Metcalf.

When asked what Anthony did when he was asked to leave the Memorial track tent multiple times, the witness said, "He doesn't leave. He gets angry and tries to provoke us, saying, 'Make me leave.'"

When asked, "Was Austin or Karmelo instigating?"

The witness said, "Yes, Karmelo."

When cross-examined, defense attorney Shook asked, "When Austin decided to push him out, how did he get to him?"

"He walked over to him," the witness answered.

Shook: "Was Karmelo still sitting down?"

Witness: "I think so."

Shook: "Did he grab or push him?"

Witness: "He pushed him on his shoulder area with both hands.

Then, prosecutor Bill Wirskye asked, "What happens next?"

Witness: "Austin tries to force him out, because we didn't have any other choice."

The witness was then asked by the Wirskye whether the stabbing was self-defense or murder.

Witness: "This was murder."

Teen witness says Austin Metcalf "didn't deserve what happened"​

A third witness from Frisco Memorial was called to the stand on Saturday. He described seeing Anthony in the tent and finding it strange, since everyone normally stays in their own team's tent.

He testified that when asked to leave, Anthony became more aggressive.

"What does he say next?" the prosecutor asked.

"F you all. I'm not going to leave. You're all a bunch of p******," the witness said.

The witness testified that Metcalf took the lead in the situation.

Prosecutor: "Did Austin take the lead?"

Witness: "Yes. Karmelo put his hand in the bag and said five times, 'Touch me and see what happens.' Austin said he's not going to touch this guy. He was calm."

Prosecutor: "What did you see during the stabbing?"

Witness: "You saw a big hole and blood coming from his upper body."

He then answered a question, calling Anthony the aggressor.

Prosecutor: "What's your opinion?"

Witness: "My opinion is Austin didn't deserve what happened."

Teen witness admits to knowing Karmelo Anthony, greeting him at Memorial tent​

A fourth teen took the stand Saturday; however, this witness had close ties to both Anthony and the Metcalf brothers.

The teen, who is also a Frisco Memorial athlete, said he knew Anthony prior to the track meet because of Anthony's ex-girlfriend and is also a close friend of Austin Metcalf.

The teen testified that he and Anthony shared an "hi" and he "dabbed him up" when he saw Anthony under the Memorial tent.

Prosecutor: "After you stop talking to him, did you see any other teammates talk to him?"

Witness: "Yeah, Austin said, 'Who are you?'"

The teen went on to describe that Anthony got defensive when he was asked to get out of the tent.

Witness: "Karmelo said you'll have to move me. Austin put his hand on his back. I saw Karmelo's hand go in the backpack. We're at a track meet. I wouldn't expect anything to be in there. Karmelo said, 'Touch me. You'll have to move me, and find out,' trying to provoke him.'"

Teen witness says he and Karmelo Anthony were "cool", but he didn't calm the situation ahead of the stabbing​

After a lunch break, the defense began cross-examining the same teen witness.

The defense is showing photos of him and Anthony together: a 50th birthday party for Anthony's ex-girlfriend's mom, a group basketball picture, and a marshmallow roast.

Defense: "You've seen Karmelo a lot more than two or three times."

Witness: "It was only when his girlfriend was around. We didn't hang out alone much."

Defense: "It's not a surprise he came into the tent and dabbed you up?"

Witness: "We were cool with each other."

Defense: "You knew him. He'd been to your house. You didn't think to speak up and say you know him?"

Witness: "No. I wasn't really paying attention to him. I was paying attention to jumpers."

Defense: "You didn't feel you needed to calm the situation down?"

Witness: "I didn't think I needed to."

Teen says Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf exchanged expletives before stabbing​

The teen witness said Anthony and Metcalf called each other an expletive before the stabbing happened.

Defense: "When did Karmelo put his hand in his backpack?"

Witness: "It was after the b***h comment. Austin said, 'You don't have anything in there.'"

The teen said that's when Metcalf shoved Anthony, but said it wasn't hard. After that, is when Metcalf fell back.