Frisco Track Meet Stabbing Special
A stabbing at a Frisco track meet turned into a national story. With social media fanning the flames, the death of Austin Metcalf and arrest of Karmelo Anthony touched on several hot button issues including bail reform, misinformation and race. FOX 4 reporters who have covered the story from the beginning discuss this case and how it has been different from others they have covered in the past.
COLLIN COUNTY – Potential jurors returned to Collin County on Wednesday as the high-profile Karmelo Anthony murder trial begins to take shape.
Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet.
Police said Anthony and Metcalf got into an argument over seating in the stands, which escalated when Anthony stabbed Metcalf in the chest with a pocketknife.
Jury Seated
What’s new:
After meeting with the attorneys on Wednesday afternoon, Judge John Roach excused the first 150 jurors.
During the second round of strikes, the defense raised an issue over three potential jurors that the prosecution chose to strike. The defense argued that they were Black females and “similarly situated” as another white female that the prosecution did not strike.
Prosecutors clarified that the three women were struck for a non-racial reason. All three listed their occupations as educators, and it seems the prosecution does not want educators on the jury because the alleged incident happened at a school function with school-aged children.
The judge sided with prosecutors and agreed to strike the three women.
A 12-person jury was seated with a mixture of both men and women. No Black jurors were selected.
There is one educator on the jury, but she is an esthetician who teaches at a trade school in Dallas. She does not work in a traditional school environment or with high school-aged children.
Batson challenge
Dig deeper:
The defense attorneys raised what’s known as a Batson challenge: a legal objection used when one side believes potential jurors were removed because of race.
Anna Offit, a law professor at SMU who is not involved in this case, says Batson challenges are rarely made and rarely successful.
“The reason for that is, it is not very challenging for a party to be able to come up with a number of right-neutral reasons, other reasons that a strike might have been exercised,” Offit tells FOX 4’s Amelia Jones.
“The party challenging the strike at that point is going to have to prove purposeful discrimination.”
The Batson challenge and jury selection could come into question for any possible appeals later in the trial.
“When Batson concerns have been raised on appeal, it’s exactly the sort of inquiry into writer prospective jurors being asked the same questions, the same types of questions substantively, the same number of follow-up questions, right?” Offit continued.
“It may not be enough to say these prospective jurors have been stricken because of their particular occupations, right?”
Jury Selection
What we know:
Anthony was in court on Wednesday wearing a suit and tie with a purple shirt. Purple is the color his supporters have been wearing to court. The now 18-year-old also has more closely cropped hair. His face was stoic during the proceedings, but at some points he did appear to take notes.
About 50 people, including members of the media and the public, were in the courtroom on Wednesday watching the live feed of the ongoing jury selection.
The prosecution:
Judge Roach gave attorneys for both sides an hour and 45 minutes to question potential jurors.
For the prosecution, Assistant District Attorney Dewey Mitchell said he wanted jurors to “listen to evidence with an open mind; then follow the law to render a verdict.” He asked the potential jurors questions like, “How do you feel about serving on this trial?” and “Have you heard about this case?”
One potential juror said it was fine and another said, “I don’t want to.” A third potential juror said he heard about the case from his daughter who read it on social media. Yet another potential juror was a Frisco ISD educator who told the prosecutor this story hits too close to home for her. A major juror said he didn’t know if he could send “a brother” to jail and another said moral and religious beliefs would keep him from being able to sentence someone.
Mitchell asked potential jurors if race could affect their ability to determine guilt or innocence. A handful of people said it could for a variety of reasons.
The prosecutor noted that in his entire career, he’s never had to have this kind of conversation about race with a jury.
The defense:
Defense Attorney Mike Howard began questioning potential jurors after lunch. He said all of Anthony’s friends and family call him “Melo,” so that’s what he will often refer to him as.
Howard said the case will come down to the question of whether Anthony had the right to defend himself that fateful day.
The defense attorney asked the group if anyone would hold it against his client if he chose not to testify on his own behalf. A handful of potential jurors said they would.
Howard then questioned the group about their feelings when it comes to prison sentencing. He asked if anyone would have a problem sentencing someone to five years in prison, which is the lower end for a murder conviction should they find that person guilty. No one raised their hand.
A couple of people did say they would have a problem sentencing someone to just two years in prison if that person were convicted of a lower charge of manslaughter. One man said “it’s just too low.”
Courthouse Protests
What they’re saying:
The high-profile case continues to draw supporters and spectators to the Collin County courthouse. A group of Anthony’s supporters were out chanting near the courthouse on Wednesday afternoon.
Karmelo Anthony Trial
What we know:
Roughly 500 prospective jurors were called to the Collin County courthouse in McKinney on Monday to begin the selection process. Before leaving, members of the pool were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire.
The judge presiding over the case said he wanted to have a 12-member jury seated by Thursday, allowing lawyers on both sides to present their opening statements.
The defense is expected to rely heavily on a self-defense argument. Prosecutors will bear the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Anthony was not acting to protect himself.
With a list of 35 witnesses prepared by the prosecution, the trial could last up to two weeks.
If convicted of murder, Anthony faces five to 99 years in prison with the possibility of parole.
What they’re saying:
FOX 4 talked to a jury consultant about what people can expect.
“It’s an excellent team on both sides. I believe Bill Wirske has, you know, he’s a veteran prosecutor. He’s tried some very high profile cases. And then Toby Shook has been both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. And then Mike Howard is an excellent criminal defense attorney as well. And they, along with the DA, it’s going to be a very well-tried case,” said Alison Richardson, a trial consultant with Delphi Litigation Strategies Consultant.
No Cameras Allowed
Dig deeper:
The high-profile case has received worldwide attention. Fueled in large part by online speculation, rumor, and misinformation, the proceedings have become heavily racially charged. For months, the case has played out in the court of public opinion, prompting demonstrators from both sides to gather outside the courthouse Monday morning.
To keep the proceedings orderly and minimize outside influence, court officials have banned cameras inside the courtroom and will restrict electronic devices once testimony begins.
Frisco Track Meet Stabbing
The backstory:
Karmelo Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf on April 2, 2025.
Witnesses reported that the physical confrontation began during a regional track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Anthony, a student at Centennial High School, was sitting under the Memorial High School team tent. Metcalf, a Memorial student, reportedly told him to leave. Investigators found no evidence that the two young men knew each other prior to the incident.
An arrest report detailed Anthony’s interactions with law enforcement in the moments following the stabbing. According to the document, witnesses pointed him out to a school resource officer, who located Anthony on the north end of the track.
“I gave the suspect instructions to keep his hands up in the air. During this time, the suspect said verbally out loud, ‘I was protecting myself,’” the officer noted in the report. The suspect also stated, “He put his hands on me.”
After the officer mentioned to colleagues that he had the “alleged suspect” in custody, Anthony interjected: “I’m not alleged. I did it.”
“He put his hands on me. I told him not to,” Anthony continued as officers escorted him out of the stadium in handcuffs. The report states that Anthony later asked officers if the victim was going to be okay and “asked if what happened could be considered self-defense.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Karmelo Anthony family press conference: FULL
For the first time since their son’s arrest, the family of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, who is accused in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet on April 2, spoke to the public. The family addressed misinformation about fundraisers online and the case overall.
What they’re saying:
In the days following the stabbing, the case exploded across social media platforms.
Anthony maintained his self-defense claim from jail, where he was initially held on a $1 million bond. Twelve days after his arrest, a judge reduced the bond to $250,000, citing his lack of a prior criminal record.
Three days later, Anthony’s family held a press conference urging the public to lower the emotional temperature surrounding the case.
“I don’t know why we are being targeted and discriminated against before a fair trial,” said Anthony’s mother, Kayla Hayes.
Public attention intensified further when Metcalf’s father attended the family’s press conference. He was ultimately escorted out by police after organizers stated he was not invited to the event.
The Source: The information in this story comes from FOX 4 reporter Alex Boyer’s coverage of the jury selection, along with past news coverage.
Frisco Track Meet StabbingCollin CountyMcKinneyFriscoCrime and Public Safety
