In a tragic case that has sent shockwaves through a Texas community and ignited debate across the country, the father of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony is now speaking out — urging the public to look beyond the headlines and understand the full story behind a fatal encounter that left another teen dead. Andrew Anthony, Karmelo’s father, described his son not as the violent aggressor many assume, but as a hardworking, high-achieving teenager who found himself in an unimaginable situation.

“Everyone has already made their assumptions about my son, but he’s not what they’re making him out to be,” he said. “He’s a good kid. He works two jobs. He’s an A student, has a 3.7 GPA.”

The fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf occurred during a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The incident started, according to witnesses, as a brief argument over seating and escalated rapidly into violence. Austin, a football MVP and standout student at Memorial High School, died in the arms of his identical twin brother, Hunter, just moments after the confrontation.

Hunter described the devastating scene in an emotional interview. The brothers were sitting in their school’s tent when a student from another school, later identified as Karmelo, entered. “This kid was sitting under our tent at track. We asked him to move. He started getting aggressive and talking reckless,” Hunter said. “My brother stepped in and said, ‘You need to move,’ and he’s like, ‘Make me move.’”

What followed was a brief but deadly exchange. Police reports indicate that Karmelo unzipped his backpack, warned, “Touch me and see what happens,” and then stabbed Austin once in the chest with a black knife. The blade pierced his heart.

Despite the admission, Karmelo’s family claims the act was self-defense. Andrew Anthony insists his son didn’t go looking for trouble and didn’t start the confrontation. He also expressed empathy for the Metcalf family’s pain. “I feel bad for the other parents and family, and words can’t explain how both [families] have been affected by this tragedy,” he said.

A GiveSendGo fundraiser launched in support of Karmelo has raised over $143,000 — drawing sharp criticism and intense support alike. The page claims the “narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful,” and asserts that Karmelo did not act with malicious intent. Some social media users who say they were present at the meet have echoed the sentiment that Austin may have made the first physical move.

Still, the grief and anger on the Metcalf side are palpable. Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, said he is struggling to understand how a disagreement over a seat could end with the death of his son. “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. This is murder,” he told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.

Austin was known not just for his athleticism but for his academic excellence, leadership, and character. Carrying a 4.0 GPA and beloved by classmates and coaches alike, he had dreams of going to college and continuing his football journey. His future was bright, and according to his father, it was “cut short before it even had a chance to fully begin.”

Karmelo Anthony has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held on a $1 million bond. According to the police affidavit, he tossed the knife into the bleachers after the incident and later told officers, “I’m not alleged, I did it.” He also reportedly asked whether Austin was going to be okay while in the back of a squad car.