Police investigating after families of track meet stabbing victim and suspect harassed with swatting calls
By J.D. Miles
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Texas (KTVT) — The families of Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony are facing unrelenting harassment that’s putting their safety and the safety of their neighbors at risk.
Twice since 17-year-old high school student Austin Metcalf was killed, Frisco police officers have been sent to his mother’s and father’s homes because of prank 911 calls.
He would not go on camera, but Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, told CBS News Texas that he’s worried someone will get injured or killed by what’s happening in his neighborhood.
Images and video show what happened outside Jeff Metcalf’s home in Frisco on Thursday.
SWAT officers with guns drawn responded to a 911 call that no one inside had made.
It’s the most recent of several incidents of what’s known as swatting, in which pranksters call 911 anonymously to harass, in this case, the family of the victim of a high-profile murder case.
“It’s been around for a while, but it’s really taking on a new life in these social issues,” UTD Criminologist Dr. Timothy Bray said. “It used to be something that was a little bit more reserved for the fringes of the community, and it’s happening more often.
Dr. Bray said that of all the online threats, misinformation and harassment that continues to surround the stabbing death of Austin at a high school track meet, swatting is by far the most dangerous.
“So, this social chaos is creating disruption in the lives of people who are affected, and in the lives of the folks next door, right?” Dr. Bray said. “If we don’t catch it soon, somebody’s going to get seriously hurt or even killed from one of these altercations.”
Following the swatting incidents, Frisco PD sent CBS News Texas the following statement: “As with any incident like this, our investigators will be looking into it.”
On Thursday, the mother of Karmelo Anthony, the Frisco student charged in the stabbing death of Austin, revealed that her husband had to take leave from his job because of the harassment targeting his employer.
“Everyone involved in the investigation, from the police, the attorneys and the courts to our address and my husband’s previous employers’ address, has been put on all social media platforms,” said Kala Hayes.
Jeff Metcalf said he’s had to leave his job, too.
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