The heartbroken father of a 17-year-old boy fatally stabbed during a high school track meet is pleading with school officials to reconsider allowing the teen accused in his son’s death to receive a diploma.

On April 2, Austin Metcalf was attending a track and field event at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas, with his younger brother, Hunter. What was supposed to be a normal school day turned into tragedy. During a fight that reportedly broke out in the stands, 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony allegedly pulled a knife and fatally stabbed Austin in the heart. Austin collapsed in his brother’s arms and later died despite first responders’ efforts, including CPR and emergency blood transfusions.

The shocking incident led to Anthony being arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was released from custody and placed under house arrest while awaiting further legal proceedings.

Now, Austin’s father, Jeffrey Metcalf, is voicing his outrage after learning that Frisco’s Centennial High School has allowed Anthony to graduate—despite the active charges against him.

“This feels like rewarding someone accused of taking my son’s life,” Jeffrey told reporters, after filing a formal complaint with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). “How do you hand a diploma to someone accused of murder, while my son will never have the chance to graduate?”

Anthony’s family, however, has continued to maintain his innocence, saying he acted in self-defense. His mother, Kala Hayes, spoke at a recent press conference, saying the family has received threats and faced public backlash over what she called “lies and false accusations.”

Tensions came to a head when Jeffrey Metcalf attended the press conference held by Anthony’s family. Metcalf said he was escorted out by police after feeling disrespected and unwelcome.

“They could have just said, ‘We’re sorry for your loss.’ That’s all I wanted. I would’ve responded, ‘Can we pray together and show the world that we’re trying to heal?’” Metcalf told the New York Post, fighting back tears.

Anthony is not expected to attend the official graduation ceremony in person, due to his house arrest. His representative, Dominique Alexander, stated that the school had initially considered expelling him, but ultimately allowed him to graduate early and privately.

As both families prepare for vastly different futures—one grieving a life cut short, the other defending a son facing the most serious of charges—the debate continues over justice, school policy, and how to balance legal rights with deep, human loss.