Austin Metcalf’s passing has shocked people all throughout the country.
Rumors and unconfirmed accusations regarding what actually transpired at Kuykendall Stadium have proliferated like wildfire in an era where social media is king.
Outrageous conspiracy ideas are among them, and the FBI and local police have responded.
False post
After a furious altercation on April 2, Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old athlete and honor student, unfortunately died after being fatally stabbed in the chest, allegedly by also 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony.
Metcalf’s family claims that the two teenagers had never met before and that their verbal argument rapidly turned violent when Anthony brandished a knife.
A number of phony social media profiles posing as the local police chief and the medical examiner’s office have emerged in the wake of Austin Metcalf’s untimely death, disseminating false information regarding the circumstances of his passing.
The New York Post reported on one particularly unsettling viral post that made the incorrect claim that Metcalf truly died from a heroin overdose.
Another bogus article purporting to be from the Frisco police chief said that Metcalf was slain after he allegedly overpowered Karmelo Anthony in what was called “mutual combat.”
Online, a modified image purporting to be an official report from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office stated that Austin Metcalf’s stab wound was listed as tertiary and that his major cause of death was a “MDMA drug overdose.” Police have verified that this story is completely untrue.
The Frisco Police Department is aware of a picture that is making the rounds on social media that apparently shows a report from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office. The report has not been made public as of yet. So, anything you can find online right now is FALSE,” the department wrote in a Facebook post.
Playing the role of Frisco Police Chief
The FBI and Frisco police have also launched a criminal investigation into a phony social media account that purports to be Frisco Police Chief David Shilson, according to WFAA-TV. According to a fake statement circulated by the phony account, which quoted the police chief, Metcalf “sucker punched” Karmelo Anthony first and “smashed [Anthony’s] phone onto one of the bleachers,” resulting in what was called a “mutual combat altercation.”
Frisco Police Chief David Shilson issued a severe warning in reaction to the false information that was circulating:
“Watch out for people who intentionally use social media to sow disinformation, hatred, fear, and division.
“I urge everyone to exercise caution regarding the false information that is making the rounds regarding this incident and to believe only information that is confirmed by official releases and reliable sources.”
Fake accounts have been denounced by Anthony’s own family as well. One GoFundMe effort that claimed to gather money based on these bogus storylines was a scam, they stated in a statement.
For his legal defense, Anthony and his family have raised about $200,000, despite some fundraisers’ validity being questioned.
“The story being propagated is inaccurate, unfair, and damaging,” the Anthony family said on the GiveSendGo crowdfunding website.
We are incredibly appreciative of all of your help during this difficult time, as a religious family. We appreciate your prayers and help more than ever before.
employed well-known Texas lawyers
The family will be able to hire two well-known Texas lawyers with a reputation for taking on racially difficult cases—including negotiating a settlement for a 14-year-old girl involved in the contentious 2015 McKinney pool party incident—thanks to the money raised through the fundraising.
According to a statement released by Clark and Cole, “Karmelo, like all citizens of the United States, is entitled to a fair and impartial legal process; we are committed to ensuring that Karmelo’s rights are indeed protected throughout each phase of the criminal justice system.”
With a $1 million bond, Anthony is being held at Collin County Jail on a first-degree murder accusation.
Despite the pandemonium on the internet, the majority of Frisco residents are opting to avoid the craze of conspiracy theories, according to Frisco City Councilman Brian Livingston.
Social media is giving this a lot more attention. Livingston told the New York Post, “I don’t think social media is a good representation of Frisco.”
The way the city of Frisco has handled similar situations in the past, in my opinion. We live as one community. Although it is taken seriously, I believe that most people are focused on getting through this and are primarily worried about the two families,” he continued.
