Dad of teen student who died in twin brother’s arms 'disrespected' after wanting to pray with killer's family
Police escorted Austin Metcalf's father out of a press conference which was organised in support of his son's alleged killer.
The devastated dad, Jeff, has insisted he was simply trying to 'represent' the teenager who was killed earlier this month by turning up to the event on Thursday (17 April).
Austin, 17, was fatally stabbed on the morning of 2 April in Frisco, Texas, after what police described as an 'altercation between two students' at the Kuykendall Stadium.
He had been attending a championship track meet alongside his twin brother, Hunter, when he is said to have confronted Karmelo Anthony, also 17 and from another high school, about him sitting in the wrong area.
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Austin was then allegedly stabbed in the chest by the teen, according to an arrest affidavit, while Anthony told police that he was 'protecting himself' and claimed he acted in self defence.
The late 17-year-old passed away in the arms of his brother, who described his late sibling as his 'best friend, brother and whole life'.
The boys dad has now spoken out about being ejected from a press conference in Dallas organised by a nonprofit organisation, Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), who are working with Anthony's family.
Jeff claims he wanted to pray alongside the alleged knifeman's loved ones, but says he was instead thrown out by cops.
It came just days after Anthony was allowed to leave jail on house arrest after his bond was lowered from $1million to $250,000.
Speaking of how he hoped Anthony's relatives would have reacted to his presence, Jeff told the New York Post: "They should have pulled me up [to the front] and said, ‘We are so sorry. Our condolences'.
"The only thing I would have said was, ‘Okay, can we pray together and show the world we’re united.'"
The dad said he just wanted to 'represent Austin' by showing up at the press conference, but claims his 'character’s been assassinated'.
The NGAN are reported to have alerted police to Jeff, as the group's founder Dominique Alexander thought it was 'inappropriate' for him to be there alongside Anthony's family.
"NGAN from the beginning, has respected the loss of life," she told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. "No matter our opinion of it, we have kept our opinion close. We have not attacked, we have not shared the information that was shared with us about Austin Metcalf, because we respect the dignity of life and loss. And as a minister, I will not attack a grieving family even if I disagree with them.
"All I'm going to say, so it won't be asked later, is that was disrespectful and just shows you all the character. He was not invited. He knows that it's inappropriate to be near this family, but he did it.
"And so I say to people, actions speak louder than words."
But Jeff slammed Alexander's assessment of the situation, saying: "After I leave, that Dominique...just gaslights to s**t out of me. Says I’m disrespecting, I’m so disrespectful, I’m disrespecting the dignity of my son by showing up...and I’m just like whatever, dude.
"My character’s been assassinated. Or they’ve tried to assassinate my character," the dad continued.
"This is my point: We’re both victims. My son’s dead. They’re son will be in prison. But it’s the end of the day, [Karmelo] needs to be accountable for his actions."
The grieving father also claimed that he was the victim of 'swatting' pranks after he was ejected from the event, while telling the Post he had quit his job in real estate as he feared for the safety of his colleagues and clients.
At the press conference, Anthony's mother Kala Hayes said her family discussed the 'lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week', which she says 'put her family in danger'.
She also said that they have 'not received a dime' of money which was raised for the 17-year-old via a crowdfunding page.
Anthony is currently on house arrest and is required to wear an ankle monitor as well as check in with a bailiff each week.
Olivia Burke