The release of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, the teen accused of fatally stabbing fellow student Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, is stirring national outrage — not just for the alleged crime, but for the bizarre manner of his post-release treatment.
Originally held on a $1 million bond, Anthony walked free after Republican Collin County Judge Angela Tucker reduced his bond to $250,000, placing him on house arrest with an ankle monitor. This decision allowed Anthony to return home — despite being charged in the brutal killing of Metcalf, who was reportedly stabbed in the heart and died in the arms of his twin brother.
But what’s drawing further fury is how Anthony was received after his release.
The activist group Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) released a stylized, almost cinematic Point of View (POV) video showing their private security team flanking Anthony as if he were a celebrity or public figure rather than a criminal suspect. In the video, the team shakes his hand, gives him instructions like “just follow behind us” and “stay close,” and walks him through a media crowd as if shielding a VIP from paparazzi.
At one point, a female reporter can be heard calling Anthony “sweetheart” and asking, “Why were you armed, sweetheart?” — a moment that many are calling shockingly inappropriate given the gravity of the charges.
The video has sparked a storm of criticism online, with many accusing NGAN and media figures of glorifying or minimizing the actions of an accused murderer. Supporters of the Metcalf family are demanding accountability and questioning why someone accused of such a violent act is being treated with kid gloves — or worse, like a hero.
Austin’s twin brother, Hunter, has yet to speak publicly since the bond reduction. Advocates for the family say the Metcalfs are “devastated” and feel the justice system has abandoned them.
The case continues to develop, with court proceedings expected to resume later this year. Meanwhile, the release video remains a chilling reminder of how justice and perception can collide — and how far some groups may go to control the narrative.