Frisco track meet stabbing: Strict courtroom security and camera bans set for Karmelo Anthony trial

COLLIN COUNTY - Potential jurors will return to Collin County Wednesday morning as the high-profile Karmelo Anthony murder trial begins to take shape.

Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet. Police said Anthony and Metcalf got into an argument over seating in the stands, which escalated when Anthony stabbed Metcalf in the chest with a pocketknife.

Jury selection begins

What we know:

The judge presiding over the case intends to have a 12-member jury seated by Thursday, allowing lawyers on both sides to present their opening statements.

Roughly 500 prospective jurors were called to the courthouse in McKinney on Monday to begin the selection process. Before leaving, members of the pool were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire. Those selected to return Wednesday will face further questioning as the pool is narrowed down to twelve jurors and six alternates.

The defense is expected to rely heavily on a self-defense argument. Prosecutors will bear the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Anthony was not acting to protect himself. 

With a list of 35 witnesses prepared by the prosecution, the trial could last up to two weeks.

Karmelo Anthony trial

Dig deeper:

The high-profile case has received worldwide attention. Fueled in large part by online speculation, rumor, and misinformation, the proceedings have become heavily racially charged. For months, the case has played out in the court of public opinion, prompting demonstrators from both sides to gather outside the courthouse Monday morning.

To keep the proceedings orderly and minimize outside influence, court officials have banned cameras inside the courtroom and will restrict electronic devices once testimony begins.

Frisco track meet stabbing

The backstory:

Karmelo Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf on April 2, 2025.

Witnesses reported that the physical confrontation began during a regional track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Anthony, a student at Centennial High School, was sitting under the Memorial High School team tent. Metcalf, a Memorial student, reportedly told him to leave. Investigators found no evidence that the two young men knew each other prior to the incident.

An arrest report detailed Anthony’s interactions with law enforcement in the moments following the stabbing. According to the document, witnesses pointed him out to a school resource officer, who located Anthony on the north end of the track.

"I gave the suspect instructions to keep his hands up in the air. During this time, the suspect said verbally out loud, ‘I was protecting myself,’" the officer noted in the report. The suspect also stated, "He put his hands on me."

After the officer mentioned to colleagues that he had the "alleged suspect" in custody, Anthony interjected: "I’m not alleged. I did it."

"He put his hands on me. I told him not to," Anthony continued as officers escorted him out of the stadium in handcuffs. The report states that Anthony later asked officers if the victim was going to be okay and "asked if what happened could be considered self-defense."

What they're saying:

In the days following the stabbing, the case exploded across social media platforms.

Anthony maintained his self-defense claim from jail, where he was initially held on a $1 million bond. Twelve days after his arrest, a judge reduced the bond to $250,000, citing his lack of a prior criminal record.

Three days later, Anthony's family held a press conference urging the public to lower the emotional temperature surrounding the case.

"I don't know why we are being targeted and discriminated against before a fair trial," said Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes.

Public attention intensified further when Metcalf's father attended the family's press conference. He was ultimately escorted out by police after organizers stated he was not invited to the event.