The final social media post of a 17-year-old Texas high school athlete who was fatally stabbed during a track and field meet has been revealed.
The tragic incident took place in Frisco on April 2, leaving two families devastated and a community in shock.
Austin Metcalf – a junior at Frisco Memorial High School and a promising football player – died after being stabbed once in the chest during an altercation with fellow student Karmelo Anthony, also 17, from Frisco Centennial High School.
The confrontation unfolded under a school tent at Kuykendall Stadium just after 10:00AM and reportedly began over seating arrangements during a weather delay.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by NBC DFW, Metcalf had asked Anthony to move seats under the pop-up tent.
When he physically attempted to shift Anthony, the suspect allegedly pulled out a black knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. “I was protecting myself,” Anthony reportedly told officers at the scene, per an affidavit. “He put his hands on me.”
Anthony also allegedly told police: “I’m not alleged, I did it,” and questioned whether the incident could be considered self-defense.
Despite immediate medical efforts — including CPR and a blood transfusion — Metcalf was pronounced dead from his injuries at a nearby hospital. His twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, was present during the stabbing and held Austin in his final moments.
“He didn’t deserve it,” Hunter said, per NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. “I know people that lose their family members all the time, but I just didn’t know it would be mine so soon. My best friend, my brother, my whole life.”
Now, it has been revealed that Austin’s final social media post before his death read: “Faith that God got me and my work will pay off.”
The post has since been flooded with tributes to Austin.
Their mother, Meghan Metcalf, told WFAA that Hunter “was trying to save his brother” and “saw when he took his last breath before the CPR came back in.” She remembered Austin as “the most amazing kid,” citing his academic successes and dreams of playing college football.
Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, echoed the heartbreak, describing his son as “a bright young man with a great future ahead of him.” He said, “His smile would light up the room. His passion for football was unbelievable.” Jeff also noted that he rushed to find Hunter after realizing the severity of Austin’s injury. “We prayed, and it’s God’s plan, I don’t understand it, but they weren’t able to save him. This is murder.”
The Metcalf family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $200,000 in Austin’s memory.
In a separate interview, the suspect’s father, Andrew Anthony, defended his son’s character and maintained that he was not the aggressor.
“Everyone has already made their assumptions about my son, but he’s not what they’re making him out to be,” he said, per the New York Post. “He’s a good kid. He works two jobs. He’s an A student, has a 3.7 GPA. He was not the one who started it.”
He added: “I feel bad for the other parents and family, and words can’t explain how both [families] have been affected by this tragedy.”
Karmelo Anthony was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder.
He is currently being held at the Collin County Jail on a $1 million bond.
Former Dallas ISD Chief of Police Craig Miller told NBC DFW that metal detectors are not typically used in Frisco Independent School District facilities, including athletic events, making it easier for weapons to be brought onto campus.
