A representative for the family of Karmelo Anthony, the 17-year-old facing a murder charge in connection to the fatal stabbing of fellow teenager Austin Metcalf, has stepped forward to challenge growing speculation and online misinformation surrounding the case.

The tragic incident occurred on April 2 at a high school track event held at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Austin Metcalf, a respected student-athlete, reportedly approached Anthony to ask him to move from the seating area designated for Frisco Memorial High School. Witnesses, including Austin’s twin brother Hunter, say the encounter quickly escalated.

“My brother stepped in and said, ‘You need to move.’ And he’s like, ‘Make me move,’” Hunter told WFAA.

Moments later, Anthony allegedly pulled a knife from his backpack and stabbed Austin in the chest. Despite efforts to save him, Austin died in his brother’s arms.

In the aftermath, speculation surged online, fueled by social media accounts impersonating authorities and spreading unverified claims. One widely circulated post, falsely attributed to the Frisco police chief, claimed the stabbing was the result of “mutual combat” and suggested that Austin had overpowered Anthony before the fatal blow was delivered. Other theories implied that the two teens had a prior history—an idea the Anthony family strongly denies.

Dominique Alexander, speaking for the Anthony family, directly addressed these rumors at a recent press conference.

“The disinformation that is going online is hurting this case and it has to stop. As we know right now, Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony did not know each other,” Alexander said, according to the Daily Mail.

He also emphasized the importance of due process. “Karmelo Anthony has a right to a fair trial, unbiased and removed of racial hate and bigotry,” he added.

Alexander revealed that Anthony’s relatives have received disturbing threats since the incident, some of them graphic and racially charged, leaving the family feeling unsafe in their own home.

These developments come as online commentary continues to build, with some individuals suggesting—without evidence—that key details of the confrontation are being withheld by authorities.

Meanwhile, Anthony, who did not deny the stabbing, has maintained that he acted in self-defense. “It’s not alleged, I did it,” he reportedly said following his arrest.

A fundraising effort launched to support his legal defense has surpassed $280,000, drawing both support and scrutiny as the case proceeds through the court system.

With tensions high and emotions raw, both families now face not only the painful realities of the tragedy itself but also the far-reaching consequences of rumor, rhetoric, and a trial that has yet to formally begin.