The father of slain teen Austin Metcalf said he hoped he could pray with the family of his son’s alleged killer — but wound up feeling “disrespected” when he showed up earlier this week at a press conference organized by the accused slayer’s kin and got thrown out.
Karmelo Anthony’s family held the press event last Thursday in Dallas, a few days after the 17-year-old was allowed to leave jail on house arrest.But the proceedings came to a halt when Austin’s father Jeff Metcalf showed up out of the blue — only to be escorted out by a pack of Dallas cops. He thought it could have been handled differently.
“They should have pulled me up [to the front] and said, ‘We are so sorry. Our condolences.’ The only thing I would have said was, ‘Okay, can we pray together and show the world we’re united,” he told The Post on Saturday.After the impromptu appearance, both Metcalf and his ex-wife had police called to their houses in “swatting” pranks, he confirmed to the Post.He also resigned from his real estate job Saturday, fearing for his colleague’s and clients’ safety, he said.
But Metcalf said he meant no ill will by showing up at the event — he simply wanted to “represent Austin” in response to people disparaging him online, painting the late teen as a violent bully.Metcalf said he’d hoped for an apology from the Anthonys for the actions of their son, who allegedly stabbed Austin, also 17, in the heart during a fight over a seat at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, earlier this month.What he did not expect was to be escorted out of the building by Dallas police.At the conference, Karmelo’s mother Kala Hayes spoke through tears about what she called “lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week,” claiming they have “put my family in danger.”
Anthony’s parents had previously said he acted in self-defense when Metcalf physically attacked him, suggesting they plan to fight their son’s first-degree murder charged.But their latest statements — at a private event space — were delayed by a full half hour as organizers tried to figure out what do to about the looming Metcalf.“I get a text. My phone’s blowing up. It’s the f—ing DA. He said, ‘Jeff, leave! Leave! Leave!’” Metcalf recalled. “My ex wife texts me: ‘Leave, leave, leave!’ They’ll call the cops if I don’t get the f— out of there.”
Activist Dominique Alexander of Next Generation Action Network later called Metcalf’s visit “a disrespect to the dignity of his son.”Metcalf did not care for Alexander’s comments. “After I leave, that Dominique … just gaslights to s— out of me. Says I’m disrespecting, I’m so disrespectful, I’m disrespecting the dignity of my son by showing up … and I’m just like whatever, dude. My character’s been assassinated. Or they’ve tried to assassinate my character.”“This is my point: We’re both victims. My son’s dead. They’re son will be in prison. But it’s the end of the day, [Karmelo] needs to be accountable for his actions,” he said.
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