Texas High School Coach Remembers Tragic Stabbing at Track Meet

A Texas high school track and football coach, visibly emotional, recounted the heart-wrenching moments after one of his athletes, Austin Metcalf, was fatally stabbed during a regional track meet last spring.

Coach Robert Starr shared with the court his memories of the chaotic scene at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, 2025. He described noticing a “commotion” near the athletes’ tent and hurried to find 17-year-old Austin Metcalf lying on the ground.

“His face was purple, and there was a large wound in his chest,” Starr said during the trial of Carmelo Anthony, who is accused of murdering Metcalf.

According to police reports, an eyewitness stated that Anthony, a student at Centennial High School, was seated under a tent at Memorial High School. The witness reported that when they attempted to leave the tent, Anthony grabbed their bag and made a threatening remark. Despite initial disbelief about Anthony’s intentions, the situation escalated, resulting in Anthony pulling out a knife and stabbing Metcalf before fleeing the scene.

Starr recalled how he found trainers desperately trying to resuscitate Metcalf, while Austin’s twin brother, Hunter, pleaded with him to do anything he could.

“We knew Austin was gone,” the coach reflected.

Evidence presented to the jury included a text the coach sent to Austin’s phone the day after the incident, expressing love and regret for not saying it often enough.

Starr noted that Austin, who participated in discus and shot put, was responsible for maintaining the team’s tent and moving equipment, emphasizing that the tent served as a designated space for the team where outsiders were not permitted.

In defense, Anthony’s attorneys have claimed self-defense, suggesting that the suspect acted to protect himself against an unarmed opponent.

Because Anthony was only 17 at the time of the stabbing, Texas law prohibits a death sentence. If found guilty, he could face a prison term ranging from five years to life, along with a potential fine of up to $10,000.