Online fundraiser for Texas track meet stabbing suspect nears $150K
An online fundraiser for Karmelo Anthony, the Texas high school student accused of stabbing fellow 17-year-old student-athlete Austin Metcalf to death at a Frisco, Texas, track meet last week, is nearing $150,000 in total donations.
"The narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful," the Anthony family said in a statement on the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo. "As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever."
The fund, called the Help Karmelo Official Fund, was set up to support "Karmelo and his family during this challenging and difficult time."
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The total amount raised is $144,873, and the fundraising goal has been set at $200,000.
The boys were competing in the state's University Interscholasic League's District 11-5A championship meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco when an altercation between them turned deadly.
Anthony has been charged with first-degree murder stemming from the deadly altercation between the boys. He claims he was acting in self-defense.
He is currently being held in the Collins County Jail on a $1 million bond, an amount that his attorney is asking the court to reduce.
"I know that my client said it was self-defense. I don't have any reason to disbelieve that, but I need to develop facts, talk to people and figure out what's going on before I make any statements about what I think happened," attorney Deric Walpole, who was hired by Anthony’s family Friday, told KXAS-TV. "I don't have any reason to think it wasn't self-defense at this time."
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Anthony told police he did stab Metcalf but says that Metcalf put his hands on him first, according to FOX 4. Anthony also reportedly asked police whether what he did could be considered self-defense.
The latest comments from donors on the GiveSendGo platform expressed support for Anthony.
"Self defense in a stand your ground state this young man did nothing wrong and has the right to defend himself as the legal system said it was right for Daniel Penny and Kyle Rittenhouse it’s right for him too," said one comment.
Another comment suggested that racism was to blame.
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"stay strong young brother, all of us that have came up in this country hope to never go through this or see others like us go through this, but it is an unfortunate reality of this country that these people can appear to do as they like until we make a drastic and lasting change," another comment said. "Let your legal be the fight one of the many victories in this seemingly eternal fight against racism and evil."
Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report.