UMVA has learned that harrowing new witness testimony has shed light on the desperate final moments of 17-year-old Texas high school athlete Austin Metcalf's life following a fatal April 2025 stabbing at a crowded track meet.
Taking the stand during the high-profile trial, a recently graduated 18-year-old from Memorial High School broke down in tears as he recounted the chaotic aftermath of the attack, testifying that he heard Metcalf "screaming for help."
A second witness, a 16-year-old Memorial High School student, told the court that immediately after the attack, some of Metcalf’s final words were, "he f------ stabbed me." The new emotional accounts build on earlier testimony from another student who recalled hearing Metcalf say, "Oh my God," as the reality of the stabbing set in.
Karmelo Anthony, 19, faces a first-degree murder charge for the death of Metcalf, who was unable to be resuscitated by high school staff who attempted CPR as he lost consciousness. He later died at a local hospital.
Anthony has pleaded not guilty to the charge, with his defense team maintaining that he acted in a "split second of fear and chaos" and stabbed Metcalf in self-defense.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the deadly encounter was sparked by a dispute over seating at the track meet. Multiple witnesses testified that Anthony arrived uninvited and sat down inside the Memorial High School team tent. Fellow students reportedly asked Anthony to leave the tent as many as 15 times, but he allegedly refused.
As the situation escalated, witnesses testified that Anthony warned Metcalf, telling him, "Touch me and find out," and "Touch me, see what happens." During the confrontation, Anthony sat with a backpack on his lap and one hand inside it, leading some students to warn Metcalf not to touch him because they suspected he was gripping a concealed weapon.
The verbal dispute turned physical when Metcalf reportedly shoved or touched Anthony, prompting Anthony to stand up and stab the high school captain with a 3.5-inch folding knife. Witnesses described Anthony as "the aggressor," noting Metcalf was "unwilling to fight."
Body-camera footage and officer testimony revealed that a cooperative Anthony made admissions to police immediately following the incident. "I'm not alleged. I did it," Anthony allegedly told a responding school resource officer. He then repeatedly defended his actions to the police, saying, "He put his hands on me. I told him not to."
