Grieving Father Urges School Not to ‘Reward’ Teen’s Accused Killer With Graduation Walk
The heartbroken father of a 17-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed at a school track meet is pleading with school officials to reconsider allowing the suspected killer to participate in graduation ceremonies.
Austin Metcalf was tragically stabbed in the heart on April 2 during a track and field event at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas. He had been attending the meet with his younger brother, Hunter, when a fight broke out in the stands.
According to authorities, 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony allegedly pulled a knife during the altercation and fatally wounded Austin, who reportedly died in his brother’s arms.
Frisco police told NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth they were called to the scene around 10 a.m. and attempted lifesaving efforts including CPR and emergency blood transfusions. Despite their efforts, the teen could not be saved.
Anthony was arrested and charged but has since been released from custody and placed under house arrest, according to NBC News.
As graduation approaches, Austin’s father is calling on the school to take a stand—arguing that allowing Anthony to walk the stage would be a painful and inappropriate gesture that dishonors his son’s memory.
Father of Slain Teen Files Formal Complaint Against School Over Graduation Decision
As controversy continues to swirl around the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, his father, Jeffrey Metcalf, has filed a formal complaint against Centennial High School for allowing the accused killer to receive his diploma.
The accused, 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony, remains under house arrest following charges related to Austin’s death during a track meet altercation in April. While Anthony will not be walking the stage at Frisco ISD’s graduation ceremony due to his legal restrictions, reports indicate that he will still be granted his diploma.
Dominique Alexander, a spokesperson for Anthony, confirmed to the Daily Mail that a complaint has been submitted to the Texas Education Agency.
“Now you have a father filing a complaint to the TEA,” he said.
Alexander also revealed that an early, private graduation is being arranged for Anthony.
“They have agreed to allow him to graduate,” he said. “They were literally trying to expel him—period.”
Tensions escalated further last month when Jeffrey Metcalf attended a news conference held by Anthony’s family, where they announced plans to fight the first-degree murder charge against their son.
Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, claimed her family has been the target of “lies and false accusations,” stating these allegations have placed them in danger. The family maintains that Anthony acted in self-defense during the fatal altercation, alleging that Austin was the aggressor.
Despite the legal proceedings still unfolding, the school’s decision to award Anthony a diploma has deeply angered Metcalf and others who view it as a painful dismissal of the victim’s memory.
Metcalf described feeling deeply “disrespected” after attending the Anthony family’s press conference, where he says he was escorted out by police instead of being acknowledged with compassion.
“They should have pulled me up to the front and said, ‘We are so sorry. Our condolences,’” he told The New York Post. “The only thing I would have said was, ‘Okay, can we pray together and show the world we’re united.’”
His comments underscore the emotional strain and isolation he has felt in the wake of his son’s death, as well as his desire for unity and healing—even amid intense legal and personal conflict.
