Suspect in Austin Metcalf killing moved to 'undisclosed location' for protection: family spokesman
The 17-year-old suspected of stabbing Frisco, Texas track star Austin Metcalf to death has been moved to an "undisclosed location" for his own safety, according to a group representing his family.
A statement from the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) said that Karmelo Anthony has been moved from his home to an "undisclosed location to ensure his immediate safety" following an "alarming increase in death threats, continued harassment, and physical intimidation targeted at the family's home."
Anthony allegedly killed Metcalf over a seating dispute during a high school track meet in Frisco on April 2. He was freed from the Collin County Jail after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000 last Monday. He is charged with first-degree murder.
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According to the release, the threats include people loitering and taking photos of the Anthony family's current residence, unwanted food deliveries that NGAN said were "made to disturb and harass the family" and a mailing of Metcalf's obituary to the home, which was also described as "disturbing."
"We are sharing images and documentation of the threats the family has faced this past weekend to make the public aware of the dangerous atmosphere that has been created — an atmosphere fueled by organized hate, systemic racism, and intentional misinformation," the group said.
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"It is both heartbreaking and infuriating to see the depths of hate and bigotry still alive and well in our society," NGAN president Dominique Alexander said. "No family should have to live under siege simply because they are demanding their constitutional rights. We will not be silent, and we will not back down. We are committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect this family and to ensure that justice is pursued without intimidation or fear."
The Frisco Police Department told Fox News Digital, "our department does not have any reported cases involving the Anthony family being threatened."
Last week, Alexander held a press conference where Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes, spoke for the first time since her son's arrest. Jeff Metcalf, Austin's father, tried to attend the conference, and was swiftly removed from the property by Dallas police.
Alexander criticized Jeff Metcalf at the outset of the conference.
"What we've seen at the beginning of this press conference, of the father being at this press conference, these are my words — don't quote anybody — is a disrespect to the dignity of his son," he said.
"Next Generation Action Network from the beginning has respected the loss of life, no matter our opinion of it. We have kept our opinion close," he said. "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."
Alexander later brought up the issue of race.
"Because these racist bigots try to prevent us from standing up for our baby, our boy, he should be afforded the same rights that Kyle Rittenhouse had, Daniel Penny and all the people who have claimed whatever their defense was – he should be afforded the same right," Alexander said.
"Nobody in the public media has one video, but we got the video of Kyle Rittenhouse with an AK-47 shooting three people in the back," he said. "We got that, and he raised more than $2 million publicly, and nobody said anything about that."
That night, Jeff Metcalf's home was swatted.
Over the weekend, a "Protect White Americans" rally was held in Frisco. It was hosted by Jake Lang, best known for his imprisonment after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol.
Lang, who is from Florida and is now running for U.S. Senate, was reportedly admonished by Jeff Metcalf over the phone during the rally.
"You’re trying to create more race divide than bridging the gap," Metcalf told Lang, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Fox News Digital reached out to Lang.
Metcalf has tried to tone down the political rhetoric since the April 2 stabbing.
He previously told Fox News, "I want to clarify something right off to start because I've already heard some rumors and gossip. This was not a race thing. This is not a political thing.
"Do not politicize this. It's not … this is a human being thing. This person made a bad choice and affected both his family and my family forever."
Anthony reportedly confessed to stabbing Metcalf when he was arrested by a school resource officer at Kuykendall Stadium in the minutes following the attack.
When one officer told another that he had the alleged stabbing suspect in custody, Anthony apparently said, "I'm not alleged. I did it," according to the arrest report from the incident.
Anthony also asked the officers if Metcalf was "going to be OK" and asked if what happened could be considered "self-defense."