Karmelo Anthony Convicted for Austin Metcalf Murder Sparks TikTok Trend and Appeal Effort

19‑year‑old Karmelo Anthony was found guilty of first‑degree murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for stabbing 17‑year‑old high‑school athlete Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. The verdict prompted a wave of online activity, including a TikTok meme called “Austin Bop” in which supporters of Anthony dance with knives while mocking Metcalf’s death.

In the fallout, a self‑styled “Free Karmelo” mob assaulted a young white woman in Longview, Texas, claiming they were targeting “the smallest white girl they could find,” leaving her with a black eye, head staples and significant bleeding.

A coalition of civil‑rights lawyers—including the Texas NAACP president, veteran appellate attorney Russell Wilson and Ben Crump‑affiliated lawyer Brooke Cluse—announced a pro bono appeal to review the trial for possible errors and seek to overturn the conviction.