A Texas father is speaking out after his 17-year-old son was fatally stabbed during a high school track meet, telling Fox News his life is "destroyed."
Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, was stabbed in the chest allegedly by 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a student from another school. The altercation reportedly began as a seating dispute as the teams waited for the delayed competition to begin.
"My son is gone, and he'll never come home again," Austin's father, Jeff Metcalf, said Thursday on "America Reports."
"Austin was the light of my life."
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According to Jeff Metcalf, Austin died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter, who desperately tried to stop the bleeding but was unable to save him.
"They were so tight. They had the best bond. They were best friends," Metcalf said of the pair.
"And now, I have to focus on taking care of Hunter."
While the Metcalf family mourns, they are urging the public not to speculate about racial or political motives behind the stabbing.
"I want to clarify something right off to start because I've already heard some rumors and gossip. This was not a race thing. This is not a political thing," Jeff Metcalf told "America Reports" co-anchor John Roberts.
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"Do not politicize this. It's not … this is a human being thing. This person made a bad choice and affected both his family and my family forever."
Described as an honor student, a talented athlete, and a compassionate young man, Austin had dreams of playing college football. His social media profile listed a 3.97 GPA and participation in multiple football camps.
"He lit up the room everywhere he went," his father said.
On Wednesday night, the family's church held a vigil in his honor, drawing hundreds of people. Jeff Metcalf said his faith is helping him navigate the loss.
"I rely heavily on my faith to get me through this," he said.
Despite his grief, he says he has chosen forgiveness.
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"People ask me, how can you forgive this other person? I said I forgive the other person because the forgiveness is not for him. The forgiveness is for me so I can have peace," he said.
"His life is destroyed. My life is destroyed."
The weekend before Austin's death, the father and his sons spent time hunting together, one last memory before tragedy struck. Jeff Metcalf recalled their final conversation the day before the stabbing.
"He said, 'Dad, I'm going to come over this weekend, help mow your grass because I know your arm's hurting.' And I said, 'OK.' He said, 'I love you, Dad.' And I say, 'I love you too, son.'"
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"Those were the last words I ever heard from him."
The suspect, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School, has been arrested and charged with murder.
