The parents of Karmelo Anthony will speak to the public for the first time Thursday at a press conference hosted by the Next Generation Action Network.
The press conference is set to begin at 11 a.m. at the NGAN headquarters in Dallas. According to a news release, the Anthony family has endured a “wave” of hateful attacks, which include disinformation and falsehoods, since their 17-year-old son was accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, also 17, at a track meet in Frisco.
As the case has gained national attention, NGAN said it is critical for the public to hear directly from the family.
“This is a moment for truth,” Dominique Alexander, president of NGAN, said in the release. “The Anthony family deserves the opportunity to speak for themselves, to clear the record, and to share the impact this has had on their lives — not through the lens of speculation, but through their own words.”
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The family will make a statement, then select questions will be taken after their remarks.
The press conference comes days after Anthony was released on bond, which was decreased from an initial amount of $1 million to $250,000. He had been in custody since April 2 and faces a charge of murder in Metcalf’s death.
Related:Frisco stabbing suspect Karmelo Anthony released after bond lowered to $250,000
It was a rainy day at a track meet at Frisco ISD’s David Kuykendall Stadium when an argument began between Metcalf and Anthony over Anthony being in the wrong school’s tent during the rain delay, an arrest report said. Anthony, a student of Frisco Centennial High School, was under the tent for Frisco Memorial High School, of which Metcalf was a student.
As they were arguing, Anthony told Metcalf to “touch me and see what happens,” and “punch me and see what happens.” After witnesses said Metcalf either grabbed or pushed Anthony, he stabbed Metcalf once with a knife, killing him.
Anthony was arrested soon after, and told arresting officers he stabbed Metcalf in self-defense.
Related:Frisco ISD track meet stabbing suspect said it was self-defense, police report says
In addition to running track, Metcalf was also a football player who was voted as a second team all-district linebacker and MVP of his school’s team.
The case has drawn significant national attention, both through national media outlets and social media. Fundraisers for both the Metcalf and Anthony families have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Disinformation and heated discourse have also been rife online, as police investigate a false Facebook post in which someone impersonated Frisco police chief David Shilson.
Police have not indicated that race was a factor in the case, but much of the discourse online has unfolded along racial lines. Metcalf is white. Anthony is Black.
