The desperate pleas of Austin Metcalf’s coach were captured in a recently released 911 call, placed moments after Karmelo Anthony attacked the critically injured student. Joshua Rebmann, a Liberty High coach and military veteran, urged Metcalf to "fight" and "stay with me" in the recording made public Friday, just 10 days after Anthony was convicted of murder for the April 2, 2025, stabbing.
Rebmann used his jacket in an attempt to staunch the bleeding from Metcalf's chest wound. Metcalf, 17, sustained a stab wound to the left side of his chest that pierced the bone at the center of his chest and the sac surrounding his heart, according to Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, the Collin County chief medical examiner. Ventura described the injury as "gaping" and told jurors it was not survivable.
In another 911 recording, Metcalf’s friend, Mason, who placed the call, frantically informed dispatchers that his friend had been stabbed. He stated he had "no clue" who was responsible for the attack that occurred at Kuykendall Stadium during a track meet but urgently requested an ambulance, describing the attacker's attire.
A paramedic who testified at the trial in McKinney stated that Metcalf was found without a pulse and never regained consciousness. Witnesses at the trial told the court that Anthony, who attended Centennial High School, initiated the confrontation by entering the Memorial High tent to seek shelter from the rain. He allegedly ignored requests to leave and threatened Metcalf, who was significantly larger than Anthony.
Testimony indicated that Anthony warned Metcalf, "Touch me and see what happens," while his hand was in his backpack. The altercation escalated when Metcalf shoved Anthony, who then produced a knife from his bag and stabbed the victim. Anthony, now 19, was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Anthony has maintained he acted in self-defense. His parents, Kala Hayes and Andrew Anthony, have asserted their son is not a murderer. Hayes told CBS after the sentencing that her son was defending himself. Both parents expressed disappointment with the trial's outcome, with Andrew Anthony alleging that "a lot of things that were missed." Anthony and his legal team have filed a notice of appeal. A group of six lawyers has announced they will represent him pro-bono. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt posted on X that the legal team is committed to ensuring a "full and fair review of his conviction and sentence."