The family of a Texas high school athlete murdered at a school track meet says they’re trusting God to help them learn to forgive even as they continue to mourn his death.
Frisco Memorial High School junior and football player Austin Metcalf, 17, was fatally stabbed during a track meet Tuesday after an apparent argument with the suspect, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony of Frisco Centennial High School, according to police. Anthony is being held without bail and facing a felony murder charge.
Austin’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, who witnessed the attack, said it all happened within a matter of minutes after his brother questioned why Anthony, a student at Frisco Centennial, was in their team area at the track meet.
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Hunter told the outlet that after he turned away momentarily, he looked back to see Anthony attack his brother.
“I tried to whip around as fast as I could,” he told WFAA. “I looked at my brother, and I’m not going to talk about the rest. I tried to help him.”
In an anguished interview with Fox News on Thursday, Meghan Metcalf, the victim’s mother, was understandably distraught and still in shock over her son’s murder.
“If I could say anything to the nation, it would be just to hug your babies tight, because you don’t know if it will be the last time you do it,” she said.
Wearing a cross around his neck, Hudson Metcalf, the victim’s twin brother, said the family is still working through the process of forgiveness.
“It’s forgave, not forgotten, but I’m not at that point yet to forgive what that boy did to my brother,” said Hudson. “… I’m not at that point to forgive and forget, but eventually I will. I pray for his family. I pray that they understand what we’re going through.”
The victim’s father, Jeff Metcalf, says he’s trusting God to “take care of his family” in the aftermath of Austin’s murder.
“You know what, I already forgive this person. Already,” Metcalf told KXAS. “God takes care of things. God is going to take care of me. God is going to take care of my family.”
In her interview with Fox News, however, Meghan Metcalf said she simply wasn’t ready to forgive.
“I am not like their dad, I am so angry at that boy,” she said. “It’s just not fair.”
Hope Fellowship Church in Frisco, where the family says Austin was part of the youth group, also hosted a vigil for the teenager Wednesday night. CP reached out to Hope Fellowship for comment and will update this article if a response is received.
In what appeared to be his final post on X, Austin wrote: “Faith that god got me ❤️ and my work will pay off.” The post had over 2.8 million views as of Friday.
Meanwhile, at least two GoFundMe campaigns have been launched. One was launched by Austin’s father to support his family with funeral expenses and has raised over $196,000. A second fundraiser was launched by a family friend and has raised over $87,000.
“We send our kids to school every morning with the expectation that we are going to see them again when we return home from work. We expect them to go to safe schools and come home safe. I have twins of my own, I’m just so sorry for your loss,” said Vikas Jain in a public message to the GoFundMe campaign.
Metcalf’s murder rocked the community of Frisco, which, in 2023, was ranked the safest city in the U.S. for the second-consecutive year.
