The closely watched trial has raised thorny questions about racism \u2013 Anthony is Black, and Metcalf is White \u2013 as well as bullying, weapons on school grounds and claims of self-defense. A GiveSendGo fundraiser<\/a> for Anthony and his family has raised about $625,000, while a GoFundMe fundraiser<\/a> for Metcalf\u2019s family has raised just under $600,000.<\/p>\n Some activists \u2013 far-right influencer Jake Lang<\/a> among them \u2013 have gathered outside court and on occasion gotten into yelling matches.<\/p>\n The Next Generation Action Network, a social justice group supporting Anthony, has compared him to Kyle Rittenhouse<\/a>, the teen acquitted of all charges in 2021 for killing two people during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. \u201cRights are either for everyone or they are for no one,\u201d the group said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know this case has struck a deep nerve \u2014 here in Collin County and beyond,\u201d Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said<\/a> in a statement last year. \u201cThat\u2019s understandable. When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core.\u201d<\/p>\n At trial, the prosecution and defense painted starkly different pictures of what happened.<\/p>\n Prosecutors said the altercation began when Anthony took a seat under another school\u2019s tent. When Metcalf and others asked him to leave, Anthony taunted and provoked Metcalf, took out a knife and stabbed him, prosecutor Bill Wirskye said, according to KTVT<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case has nothing to do with race. This case has nothing to do with self-defense,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was an unprovoked, unjustified murder. It is senseless.\u201d<\/p>\n Defense attorney Mike Howard countered that Anthony went to the tent to get out of the rain. He said Metcalf shoved Anthony first, and Anthony then used the knife to defend himself, acting out of \u201cfear,\u201d according to CNN affiliate WFAA<\/a>.<\/p>\n unknown content item<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Jury selection took place last week, and notably, no Black jurors were selected to serve, WFAA reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cameras were not allowed in court, and space for the public was limited.<\/p>\n The prosecution rested its case late last week, and the defense rested its case on Monday. Anthony did not testify in his own defense. Closing arguments took place on Tuesday morning and the jury began deliberating midday, according to KTVT<\/a>.<\/p>\n If convicted of murder, a first-degree felony<\/a>, Anthony faces five to 99 years in prison. However, if so, he can argue to the jury he caused the death in \u201csudden passion,\u201d which could lower the offense to a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years in prison.<\/p>\n \u201cI was protecting myself,\u201d Anthony told police<\/p>\n The killing dates to a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, 2025. Anthony was a student at Frisco Centennial High School at the time, and Metcalf was a student at Frisco Memorial High School.<\/p>\n According to a Frisco police arrest report<\/a>, the fatal encounter happened under a Memorial High tent on the bleachers. A witness told police that when Metcalf told Anthony to move out from under the tent, Anthony reached inside his bag and said, \u201cTouch me and see what happens.\u201d Metcalf then put his hands on Anthony, who pulled out a knife, stabbed Metcalf once in the chest and then ran away, the witness said.<\/p>\n Police were called to the scene for a reported stabbing, and Anthony, wearing Centennial gear, admitted to the stabbing at the scene, according to the arrest report.<\/p>\n \u201cI was protecting myself,\u201d Anthony told officer Eduardo Cortez, according to the report. \u201cHe put his hands on me.\u201d<\/p>\n The officer detained Anthony and then advised others that he had the alleged suspect. \u201cI\u2019m not alleged, I did it,\u201d Anthony said, according to the report.<\/p>\n After the stabbing, Metcalf\u2019s twin brother, Hunter, tried to save his brother. Despite his and first responders\u2019 efforts, Metcalf died at the scene.<\/p>\n At trial, prosecutors called 21 witnesses, including coaches, track athletes and police officers, and played for the jury surveillance video of the incident. The video appears to show one person pushing another, but the images are from a distance and unclear, according to WFAA<\/a>.<\/p>\n Several teenage athletes testified about the moments leading up to the stabbing, saying Anthony refused to leave the tent and provoked Metcalf to make him leave. When Metcalf put his hands on Anthony, Anthony pulled a knife out of his backpack and stabbed him.<\/p>\n \u201cAustin didn\u2019t deserve what happened,\u201d one witness said, according to WFAA<\/a>.<\/p>\n The defense began presenting its case on Saturday and continued on Monday. Under questioning, Frisco police detective Beau Riley testified that small pocket knives are not illegal, though they are against school policy, WFAA reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n A courtroom sketch, provided by Pat Lopez, shows Karmelo Anthony, center, at the defense table at his murder trial on June 4. – Pat Lopez\/AP<\/p>\n Metcalf\u2019s father, Jeff, praised his son in a message on the family\u2019s GoFundMe site.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a bright young man with a great future ahead of him. He was a leader of men. His smile would light up the room. His passion for football was unbelievable. Voted team MVP this past season and carried a 4.0 GPA,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWe will all remember him for the way he impacted others\u2019 lives. I love you forever, son. It\u2019s not goodbye, it\u2019s see you later.\u201d<\/p>\n Anthony\u2019s mother, Kala Hayes, said at a news conference last year her family has received death threats since the incident.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know why we are being targeted and discriminated against before a fair trial,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cOur son deserves the same rights under the law that everyone is afforded to. He has been raised in a two-parent home with structure, stability, love and we put God first in everything we do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful,\u201d the family wrote on the GiveSendGo page for Anthony.<\/p>\n This story has been updated with additional information.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a47510cbd564ea2f4a6fe717b0111198.jpeg\"\/)
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