TX - Austin Metcalf - 17 - fatally stabbed at track meet, 2 April 2025

[mickey2942]

Would we have even heard about this case, if it had been 2 black kids who did this? Or two white kids? Probably not.

 

[RobertCatesby]

With no prior record….. I’m sorry, but he’s too young to have a prior record. I’m sorry, that can’t be used as an excuse. He’s barely /not even of legal adulthood age therefore impossible to really have a prior record. He deserves to be sent away for a long time. I’ll stop now before I get banned

Amen, but alas that's not really something the media is concerned with. It is mind blowing to me how the media has twisted this case (Obviously that's nothing new, but it's another level here). Having a high GPA and no criminal record not only doesn't excuse stabbing a minor to death for no reason, but it's just straight up unrelated whatsoever. Ok, no criminal record, do you expect him to have felonies on his record at 16 or whatever? This is Frisco, TX we're talking about, I don't really know what they expect. Should not have been given bail, and should be sentenced to life with no parole for at least 25 years. Of course there's absolutely no chance of that, but I'm hopeful KA will be locked up for quite a long time. This was not just an error or small bad decision. You get a second chance if you say something mean or steal. You do not get a second chance for stabbing a kid to death. And supposedly being a good kid doesn't change that. Apologies for my rant.

 

[Knox]

And one party, the victim, was where he was supposed to be, and the defendant was not. Admittedly, I once had so much concern for the defendant-- a head injury, psychotic event? But this soon faded as I watched an entitled, remorseless, celebrity wanna-be walk out of jail, entourage in tow. MOO

That was also the moment I realized this case was going to be a travesty of justice ( show). No shame, no remorse, no contrition for the loss of life that occurred at a school sporting event.

Just a shiny black SUV and body guards protecting a little punk who committed murder. What kind of rationale is that?

 

[Cryptic]

IMO, this case will never go to trial. Although from a selfish standpoint, I'd like to know all the details in the invetigation.... but I believe there will be a plea deal right before the trial.

I gently disagree. Collin County is law and order centered. At one time, they even had a highway bill board facing Dallas County informing people that:

- You are entering Collin County. Theft in general and organized retail theft in particular are vigorously prosecuted. (implicit dig towards Dallas County's very lax prosecution of non violent theft offenses).

Dialing into the social and demographic nature of Collin County, most of the residents are new. A certain number of these new residents left Dallas County primarily because chaotic violence is creeping into more and more schools in the county- including once good schools.

In the end, Collin County does not have the core judicial philosophy to offer ohhh so attractive plea bargains for murder. Then factor in that the murder occurred on the property of highly rated Frisco schools. Safe schools are the pride and joy of the area. Anybody jeaprodizing that status will have a legal book thrown at them.

Likewise, KA and his "advisors" actually believe that he is being oppressed and have an "all or nothing" approach regarding guilt or innocence. My bet is that If a plea bargain is offered, it will be token and involve close consultation with the victim's forgiving, but justice seeking family. KA will refuse it and the case will go to trial.

 

[Justice101]

I gently disagree. Collin County is law and order centered. At one time, they even had a highway bill board facing Dallas County informing people that:

- You are entering Collin County. Theft in general and organized retail theft in particular are vigorously prosecuted. (implicit dig towards Dallas County's very lax prosecution of non violent theft offenses).

Dialing into the social and demographic nature of Collin County, most of the residents are new. A certain number of these new residents left Dallas County primarily because chaotic violence is creeping into more and more schools in the county- including once good schools.

In the end, Collin County does not have the core judicial philosophy to offer ohhh so attractive plea bargains for murder. Then factor in that the murder occurred on the property of highly rated Frisco schools. Safe schools are the pride and joy of the area. Anybody jeaprodizing that status will have a legal book thrown at them.

Likewise, KA and his "advisors" actually believe that he is being oppressed and have an "all or nothing" approach regarding guilt or innocence. My bet is that If a plea bargain is offered, it will be token and involve close consultation with the victim's forgiving, but justice seeking family. KA will refuse it and the case will go to trial.

IMO, this one would be so racially exploited that I don't think the DA wants that kind of circus there.

I certainly could certainly be wrong... only time will tell.

 

[Seattle1]

In the end, Collin County does not have the core judicial philosophy to offer ohhh so attractive plea bargains for murder. Then factor in that the murder occurred on the property of highly rated Frisco schools. Safe schools are the pride and joy of the area. Anybody jeaprodizing that status will have a legal book thrown at them.

Likewise, KA and his "advisors" actually believe that he is being oppressed and have an "all or nothing" approach regarding guilt or innocence. My bet is that If a plea bargain is offered, it will be token and involve close consultation with the victim's forgiving, but justice seeking family. KA will refuse it and the case will go to trial.

^^rsbm

As you know @Cryptic, we wouldn't be having this discussion had this happened in Harris County where "Don't mess with Texas" has long been regarded as a joke-- given the mass quantity of defendant-friendly plea bargains cranked out--for crimes A-Z, due to the immense number of cases, and lack of resources to try them! That said, I completely agree with your prediction here, especially where the leaders of an emerging County do not want to deal with hearing about 'big city fears' coming from its residents.

 

[Trino]

Amen, but alas that's not really something the media is concerned with. It is mind blowing to me how the media has twisted this case (Obviously that's nothing new, but it's another level here). Having a high GPA and no criminal record not only doesn't excuse stabbing a minor to death for no reason, but it's just straight up unrelated whatsoever. Ok, no criminal record, do you expect him to have felonies on his record at 16 or whatever? This is Frisco, TX we're talking about, I don't really know what they expect. Should not have been given bail, and should be sentenced to life with no parole for at least 25 years. Of course there's absolutely no chance of that, but I'm hopeful KA will be locked up for quite a long time. This was not just an error or small bad decision. You get a second chance if you say something mean or steal. You do not get a second chance for stabbing a kid to death. And supposedly being a good kid doesn't change that. Apologies for my rant.

How many mass shooters had no criminal record? Recent - MN Annunciation Church, Charlie Kirk assassination, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas concert, even back to Columbine.

 

[RobertCatesby]

How many mass shooters had no criminal record? Recent - MN Annunciation Church, Charlie Kirk assassination, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas concert, even back to Columbine.

Most high-profile criminals, mass shooters or otherwise, don't have criminal records, at least not an adult one. I have no idea why it's brought up so often when they don't have records. The key part is that, even when they technically don't have a record, that doesn't mean they just slipped through every crack unnoticed. James Holmes (Aurora shooter), who's Wikipedia page's second sentence is "He had no known criminal background before the shooting occurred", had expressed desires to kill people for years and seen a psychiatrist about it in recent months before it happened. This is a similar pattern in a lot of them; no actual record, but clear signs of abnormality nonetheless.

 

[Seattle1]

How many mass shooters had no criminal record? Recent - MN Annunciation Church, Charlie Kirk assassination, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas concert, even back to Columbine.

No none criminal record simply translates to the defendant not being caught, investigated, or incident reported. For example, we learned during KA's initial appearance before the Magistrate, who reduced his bond to $250K, that the earlier violence at the HS school involving KA "did not involve the police," and the inquiry was immediately shut down. JMO

 

[Arkay]

Most high-profile criminals, mass shooters or otherwise, don't have criminal records, at least not an adult one. I have no idea why it's brought up so often when they don't have records. The key part is that, even when they technically don't have a record, that doesn't mean they just slipped through every crack unnoticed. James Holmes (Aurora shooter), who's Wikipedia page's second sentence is "He had no known criminal background before the shooting occurred", had expressed desires to kill people for years and seen a psychiatrist about it in recent months before it happened. This is a similar pattern in a lot of them; no actual record, but clear signs of abnormality nonetheless.

No none criminal record simply translates to the defendant not being caught, investigated, or incident reported. For example, we learned during KA's initial appearance before the Magistrate, who reduced his bond to $250K, that the earlier violence at the HS school involving KA "did not involve the police," and the inquiry was immediately shut down. JMO

I agree.

For one thing, unfortunately, the world is filled with unsolved murders. Someone killed those people, but they apparently got away with it.

For another, it would appear to me that every murderer, even the most prolific, even serial killers, had to have a FIRST murder. They may be the worst of the worst as time goes by, but at one time they had not yet begun to accrue criminal charges. That is even if their first crime was stealing candy. At some point in the past, a criminal had no record.

IMO that’s why we are so shocked when someone, seemingly decent until then, commits murder.

JMO

 

[Trino]

No none criminal record simply translates to the defendant not being caught, investigated, or incident reported. For example, we learned during KA's initial appearance before the Magistrate, who reduced his bond to $250K, that the earlier violence at the HS school involving KA "did not involve the police," and the inquiry was immediately shut down. JMO

No criminal record, and how is LE supposed to have a clue about an impending shooting? All I'm stating is it's not possible to predict many of the mass shootings by criminal record.

 

[Cryptic]

IMO, this one would be so racially exploited that I don't think the DA wants that kind of circus there.

I certainly could certainly be wrong... only time will tell.

Though I agree that the DA does not inherently want circuses, I think safe schools will trump circus possibilities.

Though new residents are very diverse, they are deeply united about keeping local schools safe and high quality.
Not only did this murder occur on school property, but it occurred in a high income Frisco school- the crown jewel of the sparkling new Collin County where "safe and high quality" are amped to "Very, safe and very high quality" schools.

My bet is that the school component mixed with "Frisco" trumps all other considerations. If the murder occurred at say, a wild alcohol fueled party held in a home at 2:00 am in the morning, I think the following could be supported:

- Tom Collin Public: The perpetrator must be punished severely! But.... my children don't go to raging parties and we do follow the "Nothing good happens after midnight" rule. So, less personal connection. Ok, I can see a plea bargain.

- DA: We don't want a circus. Witnesses were all tanked and not reliable. There may of been other weapons flashed in addition to the perpetrator's. Ok, offer him a decent, but not overly generous plea bargain. Need to make this go away.

But..... I suspect that nobody messes with Collin County schools- and that goes double for the Frisco component. After all, Tom Collin Public has kids and has a very personal connection to area schools and sports.

 

[Trino]

I also suspect a plea bargain, one that isn't very punishable. Lots of considerations in this case.