SOURCE: Wire
The internet has produced plenty of ugly trends over the years. But the latest spectacle surrounding convicted killer Karmelo Anthony may be one of the most grotesque yet.
Just days after Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Texas high school athlete Austin Metcalf, a disturbing social media trend began spreading among some of his supporters. Instead of mourning a teenager who lost his life, users are posting videos of themselves dancing, mimicking stabbing motions, and in some cases even brandishing knives while celebrating a song centered on Metcalf’s death.
The viral track, known online as “Austin bop (stabbing my chest),” appears to have emerged from Anthony’s online fan base. The song reportedly included lyrics referencing the fatal stabbing and promoting Anthony’s release from prison. Even more disturbing, artwork associated with the upload allegedly featured an edited image of Metcalf with a mocking caption suggesting he had “learned” a lesson.
DISGUSTING: Since I first reported on the emerging “Austin Bop” trend, more Black individuals have joined in, dancing to a song about Austin Metcalf’s death while mimicking the stabbing that took his life. https://t.co/TBiUpXIblU pic.twitter.com/3dGh5iQlRo
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 17, 2026
Think about that for a moment.
A 17-year-old boy is dead. His family will never see him graduate, go to college, get married, or build a future. Yet internet clout-chasers are treating his death like material for a dance challenge.
The backlash was immediate.
Social media users blasted the trend as depraved and heartless, with many arguing that platforms should remove content that glorifies violence or mocks murder victims. One outraged commenter wrote: “Disgusting! This isn’t free speech. This is terror and incitement. Remove them from social media permanently.”
At least one major music platform appeared to take action after criticism mounted, with the song reportedly becoming unavailable there, though versions continued circulating elsewhere online.
The trend is only the latest chapter in a saga that has divided public opinion since the deadly confrontation at a Texas high school track meet in April 2025.
When you didn’t think the culture could get any worse
— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) June 17, 2026
Anthony’s defense team argued during trial that he acted in self-defense after an encounter with Metcalf during a weather delay. But prosecutors presented witness testimony and video evidence that painted a very different picture.
According to testimony presented in court, witnesses described Anthony as the aggressor during the confrontation. Jurors heard evidence that Anthony allegedly challenged Metcalf with the warning, “Touch me and see what happens.” Witnesses said Metcalf responded with a push before Anthony pulled a knife and plunged it into the teenager’s chest.
Prosecutors further argued that after the stabbing, Anthony fled while Metcalf’s twin brother desperately tried to help save him.
The jury ultimately rejected the self-defense argument and convicted Anthony. He was sentenced to 35 years behind bars, with eligibility for parole after serving a portion of that sentence under Texas law.
Yet even after the conviction, some of Anthony’s most vocal supporters continue insisting he was the real victim.
Former Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett became one of the most prominent critics of the verdict, arguing publicly that race influenced the outcome and suggesting Anthony received unfair treatment because he is Black and the jury did not include Black members.
Crockett questioned whether a white defendant would have faced the same consequences and argued that jurors may have viewed the case differently if the races had been reversed.
But the officials who oversaw the trial strongly rejected suggestions that justice was not served.
Judge John Roach defended the process following the verdict, saying the jury was selected according to the law, reviewed the evidence presented in court, and reached its conclusion based on the facts.
And that’s what makes the latest social media circus so disturbing.
Reasonable people can debate politics. They can debate sentencing. They can debate criminal justice policy.
What should be beyond debate is that a murdered teenager should not become the punchline of a viral dance trend.
Austin Metcalf isn’t a meme. He isn’t content. He isn’t a prop for internet attention seekers looking for clicks and followers.
He’s a dead teenager.
The fact that some people now view mocking his death as entertainment says far more about our culture than it does about the case itself.
