Sick conspiracy theories spread online about slain Texas football star Austin Metcalfs death

The FBI and cops are investigating the spread of fake social media posts about the death of Frisco, Texas high school football star Austin Metcalf, whom authorities say was stabbed by teen from a rival school at a track meet.The 17-year-old athlete and honor student died after he was knifed in the chest by Karmelo Anthony, also 17, following an altercation.

Metcalf’s family said he had never met the other teen before and that the confrontation turned violent within seconds when Anthony pulled out a knife.In the wake of the slaying, a spate of bogus accounts impersonating the local police chief and medical examiner’s office have popped up spreading falsehoods about his demise — including one fake viral post claiming Metcalf actually died from a drug overdose.Another fake post, which impersonated the Frisco police chief, claimed that Metcalf was killed after beating Anthony repeatedly during “mutual combat.”One doctored image that claimed to be a report from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office falsely stated Metcalf’s primary cause of death was an “MDMA drug overdose” — and that the stab wound was secondary, police said.“The Frisco Police Department is aware of an image circulating on social media purporting to be a report from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.At this time, the report has NOT been released.

Therefore, any information currently found online is FALSE,” the department said in an X post.Meanwhile, a fake social media account was also set up impersonating Frisco Police Chief David Shilson — drawing a criminal investigation by the FBI and Frisco police, according to WFAA-TV.The fabricated statement quoted the police chief as saying Metcalf had “sucker punched” his alleged killer first and that he’d also “smashed [Anthony]’s phone onto one of the bleachers” — leading to a “mutual combat altercation.” “Beware of those taking to social media to deliberately spread misinformation, hate, fear ...