Newly released bodycam footage is bringing new attention to the first moments after Karmelo Anthony was taken into custody following the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, high school track meet.
The video was released as part of trial evidence made public by Collin County after Anthony was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. The footage shows officers escorting the then-17-year-old away from Kuykendall Stadium in handcuffs.
In the video, Anthony appears emotional as he repeatedly tells officers that Metcalf had put his hands on him. One of the clearest statements heard in the footage is Anthony saying that he told Metcalf not to touch him.
Those words have now become a major focus online. Supporters of Anthony argue that the bodycam video supports his claim that he believed he was defending himself during the confrontation.
But prosecutors presented the case differently at trial. They argued that Anthony’s actions were not legally justified and that the fatal stabbing happened after he refused to leave another team’s tent during a rain delay at the track meet.
The confrontation took place on April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium. Austin Metcalf and his twin brother were reportedly under their team’s tent when Anthony was asked to leave, leading to a brief but deadly altercation.
Jurors were shown evidence from the scene, including surveillance footage, witness testimony, police bodycam video, and photographs connected to the investigation. After hearing the case, they rejected Anthony’s self-defense claim.
The newly released bodycam footage has not changed the verdict, but it has reignited debate. Some viewers say Anthony’s emotional reaction shows fear and panic, while others say the jury already weighed those claims and still found him guilty.
Court exhibits also included photographs of the knife prosecutors identified as the weapon used in the stabbing. Reports described it as an Ozark Trail multitool knife purchased from Walmart, with a serrated blade and other built-in features.
Other released materials included images of evidence collected after the incident, including clothing and items used by people who tried to help Metcalf before emergency responders arrived. Because of the sensitive nature of the exhibits, the release has drawn strong reactions from the public.
Anthony’s own words after the incident also became part of the public discussion. In separate bodycam coverage, he was reported to have acknowledged the stabbing while also continuing to claim that he had been protecting himself.
The case has remained one of the most closely followed criminal trials in Texas because of the age of both teens, the setting of the incident, and the debate over whether the confrontation should have been seen as murder or self-defense.
On June 9, 2026, the jury found Anthony guilty of first-degree murder. He was later sentenced to 35 years in prison, a punishment that immediately sparked reaction from both families and the public.
Anthony’s legal team has already filed a notice of appeal. His attorneys are expected to challenge parts of the trial process, including legal and constitutional issues that they believe should be reviewed by a higher court.
For Metcalf’s family, the release of the footage and trial exhibits brings another painful wave of attention to the day they lost Austin. For Anthony’s supporters, the bodycam video has become another piece of evidence they believe deserves closer examination.
But for now, the legal reality remains the same: a jury heard the self-defense argument, watched the evidence, and returned a murder conviction. The new footage may keep the debate alive online, but Anthony’s next fight will now take place in the appeals court.
