Student Athlete Charged with First-Degree Murder in Stabbing Death of Another Athlete

Student athlete Karmelo Anthony on the left. Student athlete Austin Metcalf and his twin brother on the right.

In Texas, at 10 a.m. at Kuykendall Stadium on Wednesday, 17-year-old high school athlete Karmelo Anthony allegedly stabbed 17-year-old student athlete Austin Metcalf to death. On the day of the alleged stabbing, Karmelo sat or stood underneath a tent, minding his own business. Karmelo Anthony was abruptly approached by 220-pound football player Austin Metcalf, his twin brother and some other kids. After asking Karmelo who he was, Austin told him, “You’re in the wrong spot.”

What Happened

According to Austin Metcalf’s twin brother, he and his twin had plans to “move” Karmelo. Under what authority or right, they had none. They had just decided that Karmelo was “in the wrong spot” and were going to remove him, even by force.

Accounts vary, but it is undisputed that an argument ensued upon Austin’s escalation in an attempt to “move” Karmelo. The content of the argument is disputed, with some saying Austin used racial slurs toward Karmelo. Another undisputed fact is that during the course of this confrontation, Austin grabbed Karmelo’s book bag. This constitutes as an assault or battery, considering it is unwanted contact, punishable by prison time. According to some, Austin had previously made physical contact by knocking Karmelo’s phone from his hands. This also constitutes as a crime of battery or assault.

Out of nowhere, [Karmelo] is approached by a 220-pound guy giving him orders under threat of physical violence.

From Karmelo’s perspective, he was in his own world minding his own business. Out of nowhere, he’s approached by a 220-pound guy giving him orders under threat of physical violence. Behind or beside this 220-pound bully, there is an identical one to match with others with them. The fear Karmelo must have felt is indescribable.

What has happened is that people have begun sharing cropped photos of Karmelo holding what appears to be a rifle. What he is actually holding is a BB gun. Reports have spread about Karmelo’s alleged suspension and previously bringing a knife to school. They say Karmelo was “under the wrong tent.” They say that by bringing a knife, Karmelo was intent on violence, and this makes what he allegedly did to Austin premeditated murder, and this is a gross misunderstanding of the law. None of this addresses the multitude of steps Austin took to not only start but escalate the confrontation. None of what’s being said about Karmelo’s background matters to him in the realtime moment he is aggressively accosted by others and threatened with and given real violence.

Even if Karmelo did have a knife where it may have been not permitted, it does not explain the aggressive steps some witnesses say Austin took in confronting Karmelo.

Austin did not deserve to die.

Austin did not deserve to die. He deserved to live. It would be remiss to not point out that Austin would still be alive had he done the right thing and notified security, instead of choosing violence and accosting a person he had no right to.

We’ve seen this play out too many times, where men approach a lone man and demand to know who he is and “what he’s doing in this area.” Usually, it is the person being unjustly accosted and questioned who ends up deceased, while the likes of people like George Zimmerman go free.

Why is no one asking why Austin escalated the situation?

Why is no one asking why Austin approached Karmelo, instead of calling on security? Why is no one asking why Austin escalated the situation? Was Karmelo supposed to comply with a random kid he rightfully saw as having no authority over him? What lessons are learned from this?

To that last question, the lessons learned should be, keep your hands to yourself, and notify the proper authorities. Don’t commit an assault or battery. Instead, society is seemingly saying, “Karmelo, and those like him, should do what Austin and those like him say, even when he or they have no authority or power.” This is a ridiculous notion.

The Takeaway

Violence brings violence. This is not a world where a person should confront another and put hands on them, or there may be violence. We can’t say that one person must follow the law to the letter, while arguing the other gets to unlawfully take the law into their own hands. One of the secrets to living a longer life is keeping your hands to yourself.

This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, the Editor-in-Chief of The Reeders Block. He also works an Adjunct College Professor. Join the email list to get notifications on new blog posts and books. This article is 100% human-written. And remember, if you see an error, that’s what makes us human.