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As you’ve likely heard by now, a Texas teenager named Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a high school track meet earlier this month.
The classmate who allegedly stabbed him, Karmelo Anthony, has been released on bail and will soon undergo a trial in order to determine if he’s guilty of murder or if he acted in self-defense, as his supporters claim.
It’s one of the many instances in the modern era in which large swaths of the public have already made up their minds and begun hurling invective at anyone who might disagree.
But unlike most seething social media debates, this one is making life even more difficuly for two families who are already living out unimaginable nightmares.
Texas teen Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a school track meet. (News 4 San Antonio/screenshot)
According to a new report from TMZ, officers from the Frisco Police Department in Frisco, Texas rushed to the Metcalf family home on Thursday after receiving reports of shots fired.
Authorities say the responding officers quickly determined that the call was an attempt at “swatting” — the name for the dangerous and wasteful practice of calling in false police reports as a prank.
Austin’s grieving father, Jeff Metcalf, told TMZ that the incident occurred while he was “a few minutes away getting physical therapy for a shoulder injury he sustained a few months ago.”
Sadly, this is not the first time that tensions have boiled over in connection with the tragic incident that took place on April 2.
Jeff Metcalf is the father of Austin Metcalf, a Texas teen who was recently stabbed to death. (WFAA 8 Dallas-Fort Worth)
Earlier this week, Jeff Metcalf attended a press conference hosted by the Anthony family and their legal team.
Police were called to the scene, and Metcalf was removed from the premises.
“What we saw… of the father being here… is a disrespect to the dignity of his son,” minister and activist Dominique Alexander told reporters, according to the Austin American-Statesman. “He knows that it is inappropriate to be near this family. But he did it. Actions speak louder than words.
“Since this tragedy unfolded, the Anthony family has been subject to unimaginable amount of hate, racism, threats to their safety,” Alexander continued.
“This is not just about Karmelo, this is about the family that dared to stand and demand justice. Let me be loud and clear, we are not scared. We are not moving. We will not be silent.”
Kala Hayes, the mother of Karmelo Anthony, speaks at a press conference. (ABC News)
Alexander also alleged that Metcalf had been influenced by “conservative political operatives.”
In previous comments on the situation, pushed back against extremists who described the altercation as racially motivated.
“In the wake of this tragic incident, our family has been under attack,” Karmelo’s mother, Kala Hayes, told reporters at the press conference.
“Whatever you think what happened… my three younger children, my husband and I didn’t do anything to deserve to be threatened, harassed and lied about,” she added.
“The lies and their amplification put my family in danger, as well as everyone in our community, everyone involved in the investigation from the police, the attorneys and the court staff.”
No trial date has been set for Karmelo Anthony.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Austin Metcalf: Family of Slain Texas Teen Reportedly Targeted In ‘Swatting’ … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
As you’ve likely heard by now, a Texas teenager named Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a high school track meet earlier this month.
The classmate who allegedly stabbed him, Karmelo Anthony, has been released on bail and will soon undergo a trial in order to determine if he’s guilty of murder or if he acted in self-defense, as his supporters claim.
It’s one of the many instances in the modern era in which large swaths of the public have already made up their minds and begun hurling invective at anyone who might disagree.
But unlike most seething social media debates, this one is making life even more difficuly for two families who are already living out unimaginable nightmares.
Texas teen Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a school track meet. (News 4 San Antonio/screenshot)
Austin Metcalf’s family appears to have been ‘swatted’ by local police
According to a new report from TMZ, officers from the Frisco Police Department in Frisco, Texas rushed to the Metcalf family home on Thursday after receiving reports of shots fired.
Authorities say the responding officers quickly determined that the call was an attempt at “swatting” — the name for the dangerous and wasteful practice of calling in false police reports as a prank.
Austin’s grieving father, Jeff Metcalf, told TMZ that the incident occurred while he was “a few minutes away getting physical therapy for a shoulder injury he sustained a few months ago.”
Sadly, this is not the first time that tensions have boiled over in connection with the tragic incident that took place on April 2.
Jeff Metcalf is the father of Austin Metcalf, a Texas teen who was recently stabbed to death. (WFAA 8 Dallas-Fort Worth)
A press conference turns contentious
Earlier this week, Jeff Metcalf attended a press conference hosted by the Anthony family and their legal team.
Police were called to the scene, and Metcalf was removed from the premises.
“What we saw… of the father being here… is a disrespect to the dignity of his son,” minister and activist Dominique Alexander told reporters, according to the Austin American-Statesman. “He knows that it is inappropriate to be near this family. But he did it. Actions speak louder than words.
“Since this tragedy unfolded, the Anthony family has been subject to unimaginable amount of hate, racism, threats to their safety,” Alexander continued.
“This is not just about Karmelo, this is about the family that dared to stand and demand justice. Let me be loud and clear, we are not scared. We are not moving. We will not be silent.”
Kala Hayes, the mother of Karmelo Anthony, speaks at a press conference. (ABC News)
Alexander also alleged that Metcalf had been influenced by “conservative political operatives.”
In previous comments on the situation, pushed back against extremists who described the altercation as racially motivated.
“In the wake of this tragic incident, our family has been under attack,” Karmelo’s mother, Kala Hayes, told reporters at the press conference.
“Whatever you think what happened… my three younger children, my husband and I didn’t do anything to deserve to be threatened, harassed and lied about,” she added.
“The lies and their amplification put my family in danger, as well as everyone in our community, everyone involved in the investigation from the police, the attorneys and the court staff.”
No trial date has been set for Karmelo Anthony.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Austin Metcalf: Family of Slain Texas Teen Reportedly Targeted In ‘Swatting’ … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.