Jeff Metcalf, the father of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, is grieving the tragic loss of his son, who was fatally stabbed in the heart on April 2 during a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
Authorities say the incident occurred after an argument over seats between Austin and another 17-year-old student, Karmelo Anthony. Despite emergency life-saving efforts, Austin was pronounced dead at the scene. Anthony has since been charged and placed under house arrest.
On April 17, Jeff Metcalf attended a press conference held by Anthony’s family, who claim their son acted in self-defense and accuse the public of spreading false accusations. Metcalf says he hoped to pray with the family and present a united front, but was instead escorted out by police. He later received urgent texts from the District Attorney and his ex-wife urging him to leave the scene for safety reasons.
Following the incident, Metcalf and his ex-wife became victims of “swatting” — false emergency calls intended to provoke a heavy police response at their homes — prompting Jeff to resign from his real estate job to ensure the safety of others.
Anthony’s family is being represented by Minister Dominique Alexander, a controversial activist with a criminal record, who accused Metcalf of disrespecting his son’s memory by attending the press conference. In response, Metcalf said:
“I get a text. My phone’s blowing up. It’s the f***ing DA. He said, ‘Jeff, leave! Leave! Leave!’” Metcalf shared to the publication. “My ex-wife texts me: ‘Leave, leave, leave!’ They’ll call the cops if I don’t get the f*** out of there.”
After his visit to the conference, Minister Dominique Alexander, an activist of Next Generation Action Network called his visit ‘a disrespect to the dignity of his son’.
To this, the father said: “After I leave, that Dominique … just gaslights to s*** out of me. Says I’m disrespecting, I’m so disrespectful, I’m disrespecting the dignity of my son by showing up … and I’m just like whatever, dude. My character’s been assassinated. Or they’ve tried to assassinate my character.
“This is my point: We’re both victims. My son’s dead. Their son will be in prison. But it’s the end of the day, [Karmelo] needs to be accountable for his actions.”