Frisco, Texas Police officers responded to a 911 call about gunfire at the family home of deadly stabbing victim, Austin Metcalf, 17, on Thursday evening before determining the report to be false. Police are describing the incident as a “swatting” attack. 

The incident marks the latest drama in a racially charged murder case which has made national headlines and pitted the families of the accused — who is Black — and the victim — who is white — against each other. Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School, was stabbed and killed by Karmelo Anthony, also 17, during a track meet on April 2. Mr. Anthony, who has been charged with murder in Metcalf’s death, claims he acted in self-defense and has pleaded not guilty.

“Swatting” — a reference to the Special Weapons and Tactics team that the police will often assemble in response to serious crimes — is when a false report is made with malicious intent to draw significant police presence to the home of an unsuspecting individual or family. 

Although swatting may be chalked up as a cruel prank, hoax 9-1-1 calls have proven to be fatal and can be prosecuted under both federal and state laws, depending on the circumstances of the case. 

Police have not disclosed whether they have any information about the identity of the caller. 

The swatting call came just hours after Mr. Anthony’s family staged a press conference to dispel a “wave of falsehoods” about their accused son and the $500,000 in donations that they had raised in a controversial GiveSendGo campaign. The family has said they are receiving death threats.

The gathering was delayed when Jeff Metcalf, the father of the victim, showed up in attendance, before being quickly escorted out by police. He told Fox News that he only intended to listen and did not have any plans to make a statement. 

The family’s PR representative, Dominique Alexander, who is the the head of Next Generation Action Network, opened the news conference by denouncing Mr. Metcalf’s appearance as a “disrespect to the dignity of his son.” He continued by saying that the incident “just shows you all the character. He was not invited. He knows that it is inappropriate to be near this family.” 

Mr. Metcalf had been issued a restraining order by a judge to stay away from Karmelo Anthony, who was not at the press conference.

Up next was Mr. Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, who provided a tearful testimony of the “lies and false accusations” levied since her son’s arrest, lamenting that her family “has been under attack.” She claimed that their home address and that of her husband’s previous employer had been leaked online and that her husband took a leave of absence from work “because he’s afraid of what may happen to our family.” 

“Whatever you think that happened between Karmelo and the Metcalf boys, my three younger children, my husband and I didn’t do anything to deserve to be threatened, harassed and lied about,” she said. “The lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week, has been overwhelming.” 

She also addressed allegations that the family had used the funds  raised in a controversial GiveSendGo petition to purchase a new home. The fundraiser was started by the family and, within weeks, amassed almost $500,000 in donations. 

During Mr. Anthony’s bail hearing on Monday, his father, Andrew, explained that the money would be split between the costs of his son’s legal defense, security, and a new home for the family after their address was leaked. The DailyMail reported this week that the family had moved into a new $900,000 home in a gated community.

However, on Thursday, Ms. Hayes clarified that they were only just notified that they could begin to draw funds and insisted that “we have not received a single dime from the GiveSendGo fundraiser.” The co-founder of GiveSendGo, Jacob Wells, confirmed to TMZ on Wednesday that no funds had yet been distributed.

Mr. Anthony was released on Monday after his bond was reduced to $250,000 from $1 million. He is confined to his home and is required to wear an ankle monitor. 

The suspect’s homecoming was met with fierce criticism by some conservative commentators who claimed the case would be being handled very differently — by law enforcement and the press — if the races of the two teens were reversed. 

The fatal stabbing occurred on April 2 at Frisco Centennial High School during a track meet. The altercation reportedly began when Metcalf, a student at Frisco Memorial High School, asked Mr. Anthony, a student of Centennial High School, to move from his seat under the Memorial High School tent. 

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, witnesses testified that Mr. Anthony then reached into his backpack and warned, “touch me and see what happens.” As Metcalf went to grab Mr. Anthony to move him, Mr. Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest. Metcalf’s twin, Hunter, said he tried to save his bleeding brother before he succumbed to his injuries in his arms.

A GoFundMe that was started by Metcalf’s father has drawn more than $423,354 in donations, somewhat less than the funds raised for Mr. Anthony.