Frisco ISD will have maximum security protocols in place Monday for the final day of the District 11-5A track and field meet after one of its athletes was fatally stabbed by another student on the first day of the meet Wednesday.
Three days after the death of 17-year-old Frisco Memorial junior Austin Metcalf, Frisco ISD announced the heightened safety measures that will be in place at Little Elm’s Lobo Stadium when the 11-5A meet resumes at 9 a.m. Additional law enforcement officers from Little Elm and Frisco Police Departments will be onsite throughout the event, along with stadium security staff and school administration.
A lot of track meets don’t have metal detectors, but Frisco ISD will have them for Monday’s meet. They will be at all entrances for student-athletes, staff and spectators, and there will be bag checks for everyone entering the stadium.
“The safety of all involved is Frisco ISD’s highest priority during this emotional time, while also giving the student-athletes their opportunity to participate in an event they have prepared for throughout the season,” Frisco ISD said in a news release.
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Austin’s death has received national media coverage, and Frisco ISD has been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of interview requests it has received. On Monday, the school district will not allow any interviews with athletes or coaches on the premises, and media members will not be allowed access to the track and field areas and will only be allowed in the stands with spectators.
Austin’s death led other school districts to increase security for district meets this past week and for next week’s area-round meets.
Austin, who participated in track and football, was stabbed at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco on Wednesday, and the 11-5A meet was immediately suspended. Karmelo Anthony, 17, a student at Frisco Centennial High School, was taken into custody and faces a murder charge in the killing, according to police.
Witnesses told police Austin was stabbed after he either “grabbed” or “pushed” Karmelo after the two boys were arguing about Karmelo being in the wrong school’s tent during a weather delay, according to a Frisco police arrest report obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Karmelo told police he stabbed Austin after the other teen grabbed him during an altercation, according to an arrest report obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Area track coaches talked Thursday at district meets about the challenges of trying to monitor athletes who are spread out around the stadium and constantly coming and going during events that can last all day, particularly on school days when fewer adults are available to supervise.
“Track is just a free-for-all,” Justin Northwest coach Burke Binning said at the District 4-6A meet.
“There are just a lot of areas to get in and out of facilities,” he added. “It’s difficult.”
Binning was asked what can be done to prevent incidents like this going forward and whether metal detectors need to be in place at all meets.
“There was some discussion of how do you go about preventing something,” Binning said. “Metal detectors at track meets? Everybody has spikes in their shoes. Teams that bring 50 kids to a meet, are you going to check every single bag?
“Safety measures at a track meet. It’s something I’ve always thought about, but it’s really difficult to control. The last thing on our mind safetywise is thinking a kid is going to bring a knife or a weapon to a track meet.”
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