The father of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, who was fatally stabbed at a school track meet in Frisco, Texas, is strongly speaking out against a group of protesters who recently held a rally in his son’s name.
Jeff Metcalf said these protesters, from a group calling itself “Protect White Americans,” are not helping his family but instead using his son’s death to promote their political agenda.
The rally took place at the stadium where Austin Metcalf was stabbed in the heart, allegedly by another 17-year-old, Karmelo Anthony. The protestors gathered to criticize law enforcement and the legal system for allowing Anthony, who is Black, to be released on bond after being charged with first-degree murder. They claimed this was proof of what they called “anti-white hate” and “anti-white violence.”
Jeff Metcalf made it very clear that he does not support the protesters or their message. He said that these people are just trying to push their own racial and political beliefs, and they don’t care about his family or the truth about what happened.
He told The Post that he was disgusted by their actions and their attempt to use his son’s image and story for what he called race-based propaganda.
According to Jeff, the founder of the group, Jake Lang, reached out to him to ask if he would speak at the rally. Lang tried to convince him by using statistics about crime and pushing a “white lives matter” message. But Jeff rejected the offer and said he had no interest in being a part of what he sees as a racist movement.
Jeff said he directly told Lang that he is part of the problem, not the solution. He also demanded that Lang and his group remove all photos of his son from their website and promotional materials for the event.
He added that he plans to take this matter to the school board, as he was upset that the group was allowed to use the school stadium parking lot, especially since it was the site of his son’s recent death.
Jeff didn’t hold back his anger, saying he wanted the superintendent to explain how such a group was allowed access to the school property where the incident took place less than two weeks ago.
He expressed his deep frustration that people with no real connection to his son were trying to use this tragedy to spread their own beliefs.
Despite Jeff’s strong objections, the organizers of the rally claimed they were there to support the Metcalf family. One of the speakers at the rally, Philip Anderson, a Black man who was also arrested during the January 6 riot, claimed that the situation would be treated differently if Austin had been Black. He said that people were ignoring Austin’s death simply because he was white.
The rally itself did not attract a large crowd.
About 40 people showed up in support of Protect White Americans, while around 20 counter-protesters came to challenge their message. Police were present and kept the two groups separated to prevent violence, but tensions still ran high.
Two arrests were made during the event. One involved a woman who allegedly pepper-sprayed a protester wearing a “Trump” hat. The man she sprayed, identified as Austin Hunter, told The Post he would press charges. He claimed that anytime he could help put a Democrat in jail, he would take the opportunity.
There were conflicting reports about what exactly led to the pepper spray incident. Some said Hunter had threatened the woman, while others said it was just a verbal disagreement.
The protest was the latest event in an ongoing racial and political debate surrounding the case. Karmelo Anthony, the teen accused of stabbing Austin Metcalf, is facing a charge of first-degree murder. Initially, his bond was set at $1 million, but a judge later reduced it to $250,000 and allowed him to leave jail on house arrest.
Anthony claims he acted in self-defense during the incident at the track meet. According to police reports and witness statements, the confrontation started when Metcalf allegedly tried to push Anthony off the bleachers. Anthony then reportedly pulled a knife from his backpack and stabbed Metcalf in the chest, which proved to be fatal.
The case has drawn attention not just because of the tragic loss of a young life but also because of the heated conversations around race, justice, and media attention. For Jeff Metcalf, though, it seems that the last thing he wants is more political drama. He is clearly focused on grieving his son and is angered by people using the incident to push divisive ideas.
He emphasized that neither his family nor Anthony’s family benefits from these protests. Instead of helping, he feels that the rally brought more pain and tension to an already tragic situation.
He made it clear that these protesters are not speaking for him or his family.
The situation remains tense as the legal process unfolds. Many in the community are still trying to make sense of the tragedy, while others are watching closely how the justice system handles the case.
The school district, local police, and the families involved all face ongoing pressure, but Jeff Metcalf’s message remains firm: his son’s death should not be used as a tool for anyone’s political message.