What started as an innocent and fun track meet between several Texas high schools on Wednesday took a senseless and violent turn as one student stabbed another after an altercation over a seat in the stands. Austin Metcalf, a standout football star in his own right, was attending the meet and sitting in the stands. The fight broke out after a student from another school, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, was told he was sitting in the wrong place in the stands. Anthony brandished a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest. Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, was also there and tried to save his brother. He stated, “I tried to whip around as fast as I could. I looked at my brother and I’m not going to talk about the rest. I tried to help him.”
Austin Metcalf was rushed to a local hospital where he died. Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, called it exactly what it was, saying:
“I could see all the blood, and I saw where the wound was, and I was very concerned, so I had to find his brother, and we rushed to the hospital. And we prayed, and it’s God’s plan, I don’t understand it, but they weren’t able to save him. This is murder.”
Karmelo Anthony was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and is being held in the Collin County jail. No bail has been set. The Metcalf family will lean heavily on their faith to get them through the unspeakable tragedy of losing a son and brother. Jeff Metcalf continued, saying, “You know what, I already forgive this person. Already. God takes care of things. God is going to take care of me. God is going to take care of my family.” But Jeff Metcalf is asking the questions about Karmelo Anthony and his family that, undoubtedly, a lot of other people are asking.