Teen sentenced to prison in fatal stabbing at school track meet

10 Jun 2026 • 9:07 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Teen sentenced to prison in fatal stabbing at school track meet

  • A Texas teenager, Karmelo Anthony, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing 17-year-old track athlete Austin Metcalf during a high school meet.
  • The jury rejected Anthony's claims of self-defense, opting for a murder conviction over a lesser charge like manslaughter after deliberating for less than three hours.
  • The confrontation began when Anthony refused to leave a tent belonging to Metcalf's team, escalating into an argument where Metcalf pushed Anthony, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed him.
  • Despite social media amplifying the incident in racial terms, lawyers for both the prosecution and defense explicitly told jurors that race was not a factor in the tragedy.
  • The trial, which drew significant public attention and security, concluded with the prosecutor emphasizing accountability and the defense arguing that Anthony acted in self-defense during a chaotic moment.

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