As police investigate the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, families face grief, threats, and a wave of misinformation spreading across social media.
FRISCO, Texas — A fatal stabbing at a high school track meet has left the community shaken and divided, as families mourn and misinformation spreads online.
Seventeen-year-old Austin Metcalf, a student-athlete at Memorial High School, was killed Wednesday during a University Interscholastic League (UIL) track and field event. Frisco police confirmed that Karmelo Anthony, a 17-year-old student at Centennial High School, is accused of stabbing Metcalf during the meet.
“My son is not here anymore, and I don’t understand it,” Meghan Metcalf, mother of Austin, told WFAA last week.
While the Metcalfs mourn Austin’s death, Anthony’s family faces threats and harassment.
According to Dominique Alexander, founder of the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), the Anthony family’s home address was exposed online, leading to a wave of graphic and racist threats.
“The disinformation that is going online is hurting this case and it has to stop. As we know right now, Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony did not know each other,” Alexander said. “Karmelo Anthony has a right to a fair trial, unbiased and removed of racial hate and bigotry.”
The Frisco Police Department and FBI are investigating fake social media posts posing as Chief David Shilson in the wake of the fatal stabbing. Frisco PD said in a statement that a bogus account was posing as Chief Shilson and spreading information that was “false or misleading.” FPD encouraged the public to only rely on its verified department profiles across social media platforms.
Alexander met with Frisco Police officials Tuesday at the NGAN headquarters, expressing concern over the “thoroughness and fairness” of the investigation. The meeting lasted about an hour, during which he also discussed the dangerous spread of false narratives on social media.
Following the meeting, Alexander told reporters that the department had interviewed more than 75 individuals and appeared receptive to his concerns.
“They were able to come to me and be very sincere about it,” he said. “I feel comfortable right now, but we just have to see.”
Frisco Police declined an on-camera interview but responded in writing to NGAN’s concerns. City Manager Wes Pierson emphasized the department’s commitment to “a complete and thorough investigation,” stating that police continue to interview students, coaches, and others who were present.
Pierson also addressed the threats against the Anthony family, calling them “unacceptable,” and said the department is in regular communication with the family to ensure their safety.
In the letter, city officials stressed the importance of separating fact from speculation, warning against drawing premature conclusions in the early stages of the case.
“A fair investigation must remain open to all possibilities, not shaped by predetermined narratives,” Pierson wrote.
The investigation is ongoing.