In their first statement since the incident, the attorneys for a 17-year-old student accused of murdering another student in a fatal stabbing at a track meet held by his high school last week expressed “sincere sadness” over the death. They also asked the public to refrain from “rushing to judgment.”

The incident took place on April 2 at the Frisco Independent Schools District stadium in Frisco (Texas), during a track-and-field championship that involved multiple schools from the district.

Austin Metcalf (17), an 11th-grade student at Frisco Memorial High school, died after police reported that another student had stabbed him in an altercation on the bleachers during the meet.

Police said that Karmelo Anthony- a student from Frisco Centennial High School- was charged with murder in the first degree.

His family has retained Dallas-Fort Worth-area defense attorneys Billy Clark of the Clark Law Firm and Kim Cole of K Cole Law in the case, according to a joint press release from their firms.

The attorneys released a statement Monday saying that they were “sincerely saddened” by the loss of life and offered their condolences.

They continued, “In this difficult time, we urge the public not to rush to judgment until all facts and evidence have been presented.” “Karmelo is entitled to the same fair and impartial process as all Americans. We are committed to protecting Karmelo’s legal rights throughout the entire criminal justice system.”

Anthony is currently being held at the Collin County Jail on a $1 million bond.

The attorneys stated, “We will work with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office in order to obtain a lower bond amount and a better determination of the charge.”

The attorneys stated, “This will be a long journey ahead. We ask you to pray for both families during this difficult time and for patience and respect of the legal process while we search for the truth.”

Anthony’s family launched a fundraising campaign on the platform GiveSendGo in the wake of this incident. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised over $236,000. The page of the fundraiser did not specify how the funds would be spent.

According to the arrest report, Anthony allegedly confessed to the murder and told officers that he was protecting himself.

According to an arrest report, one officer who arrived on the scene reported that Anthony said, “I was defending myself,” without being prompted and without being asked about the incident.

Anthony responded, “I am not accused, I did it” when the officer informed another responding officer he had the “alleged suspect.”

Anthony allegedly “made a second spontaneous statement” to an officer and asked if the incident “could have been considered self-defense,” as per the arrest report.

According to the arrest report, the stabbing took place under the Memorial High School’s tent in the stadium bleachers around 10 am on April 2.

According to the arrest report, responding officers spoke with multiple witnesses. One of them reported that the altercation started after Metcalf asked Anthony to leave the tent.

According to the arrest report, a witness claimed that Anthony reached into his bag and said, “Touch me and watch what happens.”

Metcalf grabbed Anthony, according to a report, to move him. Anthony then allegedly took out a “black knife” described by the witness and “stabbed Austin in the chest once and ran away,” as stated in the arrest report.

“Just doesn’t make any sense,” Metcalf’s mother, Meghan Metcalf, told Dallas WFAA in emotional remarks last week. “Just because the kid was mad, my son is not here anymore, and I don’t understand it.”

The Frisco Police Chief David Shilson described the incident as a “senseless act of violence” in a long statement last week. He also offered his “deepest sympathies to all families involved, especially the Metcalf Family.”

He warned that fake information about the stabbing was being spread on social media and that “only information from official sources and verified sources should be trusted.”

Shilson said police are investigating a fake account created using his name that was “perpetuating misinformation” on the incident. A Frisco Police Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that detectives are “actively investigating the matter” and considering the charge of online impersonation.