Texas track meet murder trial: Karmelo Anthony claims self-defense in Austin Metcalf stabbing
Fox News correspondent Brooke Taylor covers the murder trial in the stabbing death of Texas high school athlete Austin Metcalf, while Fox News legal contributor Donna Rotunno weighs the self-defense claim and jury selection's impact on 'The Story.'
Jurors in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial returned to court Friday after hearing a heartbreaking 911 call, watching surveillance footage and listening to emotional testimony from coaches and trainers who tried to save Austin Metcalf during the first day of testimony.
Anthony, 19, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the April 2025 stabbing death of Metcalf and maintains he acted in self-defense. The case has drawn national attention and intense public scrutiny since the fatal encounter.
Texas defense attorney and legal analyst Jeremy Rosenthal told Fox News Digital that the trial is now entering the phase where jurors must sort through competing witness accounts and determine which version of events is most credible.
"The defense is accepting part of the burden here because if they want the jury instructed on self-defense, they have to prove up that split-second statement," Rosenthal said.
A split of Karmelo Anthony (left) and Austin Metcalf. Anthony is accused of stabbing Metcalf to death during an April 2, 2025, track meet in Frisco, Texas. (FOX4; Jeff Metcalf)
Jurors hear Anthony's statements after arrest
Anthony appeared in court Friday wearing a navy suit, white shirt and green patterned tie. Day 2 testimony began with Frisco ISD school resource officer Eduardo Cortez, who was among the first officers to respond after the stabbing.
Cortez testified that he knew Austin and Hunter Metcalf through athletics and ran from a nearby middle school to the stadium after hearing the call come over the radio.
Cortez told jurors that two students pointed him toward the victim while another adult identified Anthony as the suspect.
Anthony was cooperative and did not attempt to flee. After being handcuffed, Anthony began speaking without being questioned.
WATCH: Tense confrontation breaks out at Karmelo Anthony courthouse
"I'm not alleged. I did it," Anthony told Cortez, according to his testimony.
Cortez said Anthony repeatedly told him, "He put his hands on me. I told him not to."
Anthony later asked, "Is he going to be OK?" while being placed into a patrol vehicle.
Jurors were shown body-camera footage of the encounter. Cortez testified that Anthony became emotional several times, but appeared most emotional while repeating that Metcalf had put his hands on him.
Cortez also testified that he observed blood on Anthony's left middle finger and a cut on his hand, though he did not know how the injury occurred.
According to FOX 4, prosecutors also asked Cortez about Frisco ISD's weapons policy. Cortez testified that weapons are prohibited on school property and agreed that a student bringing a knife to a school event was "unprecedented."
A courtroom sketch depicts Karmelo Anthony and his defense team as jurors view surveillance video during Anthony's murder trial in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, track meet. (Pat Lopez)
Officers describe chaotic aftermath
Jurors next heard from Frisco ISD school resource officer Jacob Shalz, who described arriving to what he called a chaotic scene.
A coach directed Shalz to a student witness who showed him where a knife had been found several rows above the scene between the stadium bleachers.
Jurors were shown photographs of a folding knife with a silver or gray handle that appeared partially open, with what appeared to be blood on the blade. Anthony's blue backpack was found nearby, according to FOX 4.
Body-camera footage shown to jurors captured officers running toward the track as coaches and first responders worked to save Metcalf.
According to FOX 4, voices could be heard in the background saying, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," while another student cried, "That's my best friend, my brother."
Several people in the courtroom became emotional as the footage played.
Demonstrators show support for Austin Metcalf outside the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, on the first day of jury selection in Karmelo Anthony’s trial on June 1, 2026. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Teammate testifies Anthony provoked confrontation
Following the lunch recess, prosecutors called a 17-year-old Memorial High School student who witnessed the confrontation between Anthony and Metcalf. The witness testified that students repeatedly asked Anthony to leave the Memorial team tent before the encounter escalated, according to FOX 4 and Fox News courtroom reporting.
The student, a teammate of Austin and Hunter Metcalf, told jurors that several students told Anthony he "probably shouldn't be here" and needed to leave. Anthony was asked to leave the tent about 15 times, the witness testified, according to WFAA.
He testified that Anthony responded by telling Metcalf, "Touch me and find out."
The witness said there was no effort by students to "gang up" on Anthony and described the physical contact leading up to the stabbing as "minor pushing at most." When asked by prosecutors who was provoking the confrontation, the student replied, "Karmelo Anthony."
The witness testified that both Anthony and Metcalf appeared angry and aggressive as the situation unfolded. He also told jurors that Anthony had a backpack on his lap with one hand inside, leading students to believe he was "bluffing" and would not act.
According to the testimony, Metcalf pushed Anthony and Anthony then stabbed him. The witness said he did not initially realize Metcalf had been stabbed until he saw Anthony throw an object into the bleachers, later learning it was a knife. He also testified that he heard Metcalf say, "Oh my God" after the stabbing.
The witness also testified that, in his view, the stabbing was not an act of self-defense. During cross-examination, he said he never saw the knife itself but did observe Anthony's motion and testified that the incident happened very quickly.
Before the teen witness took the stand, Frisco police criminalist Stephanie Martin testified about evidence collected at the scene, including a knife with a 3.5-inch blade, according to FOX 4.
WATCH: Karmelo Anthony supporters chant outside courthouse
Witness says Anthony seemed to be looking for fight
Prosecutors later called a second teen witness who testified that he was sitting directly next to Anthony on the bleachers under the Memorial tent before the confrontation, according to Fox News courtroom reporting.
The witness told jurors Anthony's presence initially seemed "suspicious" and said students were asking who he was. He testified that Anthony was seated knee-to-knee with him on the bleachers and did not speak to him after sitting down.
According to the witness, Austin later told Anthony, "You have nothing in that backpack, you're from Frisco." The student also testified that "No one thought there would be a knife at a track meet."
During questioning, prosecutors asked whether Austin Metcalf appeared to be looking for a fight.
"No, sir," the witness replied.
When asked whether Anthony appeared to be looking for a fight, the witness answered, "Yes, sir."
Prosecutors then asked whether the confrontation appeared to be self-defense.
"No, sir," the witness responded.
The witness separately testified that "it did not look like self-defense."
A courtroom sketch depicts Frisco ISD school resource officer Eduardo Cortez testifying during the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, who is charged in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet. (Pat Lopez)
Witness describes atmosphere under tent before stabbing
Prosecutors next called a 16-year-old Memorial High School student who testified that he was under the Memorial team tent when Anthony arrived and sat down among the students, according to FOX 4 KDFW's courtroom reporting.
The witness, who said he knew Austin and Hunter Metcalf through football and track, told jurors he helped set up the tent that morning and described it as a "home base" for Memorial athletes.
When asked what he thought after Anthony sat down, the student testified, "I was questioning why he was here." He said it was unusual for students to sit under another school's tent and initially wondered whether Anthony had friends there.
The witness testified that he heard Metcalf ask Anthony why he was there and repeatedly ask him to leave. According to the student, Anthony repeatedly responded that he had something in his bag.
When asked whether either teen became angry during the encounter, the witness said they appeared more frustrated than angry. He testified that Anthony became more aggressive the more he was asked to leave and said he did not understand why the confrontation escalated so quickly.
The teen told jurors he believed Anthony was bluffing because "I would never think someone would have a knife at a track meet." He also testified that the knife must have already been open because there was no way Anthony could have stabbed Metcalf that quickly.
The witness further testified that it did not appear Austin Metcalf wanted to fight. When prosecutors asked whether anyone was on their feet because they expected a fight to break out, the student replied, "No, sir."
WATCH: How surveillance video could prove key in Karmelo Anthony murder trial
Third minor witness describes aftermath of stabbing
Prosecutors later called a 17-year-old Memorial High School student who testified while holding a yellow stress ball, according to NBC 5. The witness told jurors that his mother and sister were at the track meet that day and said his father had recently been murdered in California.
The student, a running back on the football team and member of the track team, described Austin Metcalf as a football captain and leader who believed in him.
According to FOX 4 KDFW's courtroom reporting, the witness testified that he was putting on his shorts under the Memorial team tent when he saw Metcalf speaking with Anthony. He told jurors that Metcalf asked Anthony who he was and described Anthony as trying to provoke him.
When prosecutors asked whether he thought a fight was about to happen, the witness replied, "No, because Austin said, 'I'm not going to fight you at the track meet.' Those were his exact words."
The witness testified that Anthony was the aggressor and that the confrontation did not appear to be an act of self-defense.
He also told jurors that after the stabbing, he got the impression Anthony was trying to "blend in with the crowd."
According to NBC 5, the witness testified that after the stabbing, he and his sister ran from the area because he wanted to protect her.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys focused on the physical interaction between the two teens and asked the witness to reenact the shove. The student testified that Metcalf shoved Anthony in the shoulder, after which Anthony stood up and stabbed him.
Former Liberty High School student says Anthony was aggressor
Prosecutors later called a recent Liberty High School graduate whose team's tent was located next to the Memorial High School tent, according to FOX 4 KDFW's courtroom reporting.
The witness testified that her attention was drawn to the Memorial tent after hearing a verbal argument between Anthony and Metcalf.
She recalled hearing Anthony say, "If you want me to move, you have to move me."
The witness testified that Anthony appeared more aggressive than Metcalf. Unlike several previous witnesses, she said she believed a fight was about to break out, but did not believe Metcalf wanted to fight.
She also testified that she did not believe the confrontation had anything to do with race.
The former Liberty student became emotional while recalling seeing Metcalf bleeding after the stabbing.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys pointed to differences between portions of her courtroom testimony and statements she previously gave investigators regarding what she personally heard and what she later learned from others.
Demonstrators showed support for Karmelo Anthony outside the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, on the first day of jury selection in his trial on June 1, 2026. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Witness says he warned Metcalf not to touch Anthony
One of the final witnesses of the day was a 17-year-old Memorial High School student who played football and ran track with Metcalf.
The witness testified that he was friends with Metcalf and recalled seeing Anthony arrive at the Memorial tent, greet another student and remain under the tent.
According to the witness, Metcalf initially asked Anthony to leave the tent politely before the situation escalated. The student testified that Anthony responded by saying, "Touch me, see what happens."
The witness told jurors that he warned Metcalf not to touch Anthony because Anthony had his hand inside his backpack. He said he believed Anthony was gripping an object inside the bag and testified that he could see tension in Anthony's wrist and hand. The student added that other students believed Anthony was bluffing.
According to the testimony, Metcalf ultimately used both hands to grab Anthony. The witness also testified that another student appeared to be recording the interaction as it escalated, though no bystander video of the confrontation has surfaced.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys focused on Anthony's size relative to the other students. The witness acknowledged that Anthony was smaller than him and testified that he, Austin Metcalf and Hunter Metcalf were standing while Anthony remained seated before the confrontation turned physical.
The testimony came as defense attorneys continued highlighting differences among witness accounts regarding where students were positioned, how many hands Metcalf used during the confrontation and who was standing nearby.
Court adjourned shortly after 5 p.m. local time. Testimony is scheduled to resume Saturday morning.
Karmelo Anthony trial ignites clashes between dueling crowds. (Credit: @FrontlinesTPUSA and @savsays)
Friday's testimony followed an emotional opening day that included a frantic 911 call, surveillance footage from the track meet and testimony from coaches and trainers who described desperate efforts to save Metcalf after he was stabbed.
Rosenthal also noted that opening statements can have an outsized impact on jurors.
"Eighty percent of jurors make up their mind at opening statement, and they never change it," he said, citing trial advocacy studies.
Controversy has engulfed the case, and tensions rose after a jury was selected on Wednesday with no Black jurors.
On Thursday, supporters of both Anthony and Metcalf sparred in a shouting match outside the courthouse, holding signs, yelling profanities and antagonizing each other.
WATCH: Crowds rally outside courthouse during Karmelo Anthony trial
Prosecutors, defense present competing stories
Collin County prosecutor Bill Wirskyke called the stabbing a "provoked unjustified murder" and told jurors, "This case has nothing to do with race. This case is not self-defense."
Defense attorney Mike Howard argued Anthony reacted in a "split second of fear and chaos" and urged jurors to focus on the evidence rather than the public narrative that has developed around the case.
Defense attorney Mike Howard delivers opening statements during Karmelo Anthony's murder trial in a courtroom sketch from the Collin County courthouse. (Pat Lopez)
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Jury hears 911 call, sees surveillance footage
Jurors viewed surveillance footage from multiple cameras around Kuykendall Stadium and later listened to a 911 call placed in the moments after the stabbing.
Karmelo Anthony, 17, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Texas track star Austin Metcalf. (FOX 4)
The caller reported that CPR was underway and that an athlete had been stabbed and was losing consciousness.
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NBC 5 reported that voices in the background could be heard urging Metcalf to keep fighting, while another person said, "There's a lot of blood. He's not breathing."
The outlet reported that Metcalf's final gasp for air could be heard on the recording.
As the call played, Metcalf's family could be heard crying. Anthony had his eyes closed during most of the 7-minute call.
Rosenthal said the surveillance footage could become one of the most important pieces of evidence presented during the trial.
"In the 21st century, I think jurors really expect there to be some type of video evidence, either surveillance or cell phone," he said.
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"You've got a bunch of teenagers and nobody seems to have any cellphone video of this, which is in some ways surprising," he added. "A picture's worth a thousand words."
WATCH: Heated exchanges erupt outside Karmelo Anthony murder trial
Witnesses describe efforts to save Metcalf
Memorial High School athletic trainer Tiffany Whitaker testified that she rushed to help Metcalf and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
She said she saw a commotion and heard screaming in the stands, and a student ran up to her saying, "He stabbed him and threw the knife in the stands," pointing at Anthony.
Accused killer Karmelo Anthony walks out of jail after posting bond. (KDFW)
Whitaker testified that she got in front of Anthony, put her hands up and told coach Vincent Hooper to not let him leave.
She said she performed CPR and used an AED until paramedics arrived and Metcalf was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
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The state later called Joshua Rebmann, an Army veteran and football coach who was among the first adults to reach Metcalf.
Joshua Rebmann testifies at Karmelo Anthony's trial about trying to save Austin Metcalf. (Pat Lopez)
Rebmann used his military training to try to save the teen before concluding he would not survive.
"Stay with me, Austin. Stay with me, Austin," he was heard saying in the background of the 911 call, FOX 4 reported. "Come on, Austin. Come on, Austin."
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Jurors were shown the blood-stained jacket Rebmann used while trying to stop the bleeding.
WATCH: Father speaks out after son was stabbed to death at track meet
Coaches recount aftermath
Heritage High School coach Vincent Hooper testified that Anthony told him, "He put his hands on me. I stabbed him."
Hooper also testified that Anthony became emotional after he warned him that if Metcalf died, he would have changed his life forever.
Memorial High School track coach Robert Starr testifies during the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony in a courtroom sketch from Collin County, Texas. (Pat Lopez)
Memorial High School track coach Robert Starr became emotional while describing finding Metcalf wounded.
"You just don't go into someone else's tent uninvited," Starr testified, referring to team tents at track meets.
"Well, you know if he dies, you change your life for the rest of your life," Hooper said he told Anthony.
"He won’t die," Anthony replied, according to Hooper.
What to watch next
Rosenthal said one of the key questions moving forward is whether witnesses closest to the confrontation tell a consistent story.
"I sort of view this case like a rock thrown into a pond," Rosenthal said. "You've got the epicenter, and then you've got all the ripples out."
One aspect of the case he finds unusual is the apparent lack of cellphone footage despite the incident occurring at a crowded high school sporting event.
"You've got a bunch of teenagers and nobody seems to have any cellphone video of this, which is in some ways surprising," he said. "A picture's worth a thousand words."
Fox News' Brooke Taylor, Sarah Alegre and Peter Cuddihy contributed to this report.
