Eleven stitches and nine arrests set stage for Friday football

Harmony High School and St. Cloud High School will play football Friday evening, Oct. 23, following an investigation into shooting threats that officials deemed false. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office confirmed the matchup would proceed with a heightened security presence at the venue.

The threats emerged after a dispute involving local students. On Oct. 16, a 17-year-old student was attacked near Harmony High School. The victim, who had previously intervened in a lunchroom incident where a group of students threw carrots at a girl, was taken to a hospital for treatment. Medical staff administered 11 stitches during that admission.

Investigators linked the assault to the earlier lunchtime event. On Oct. 21, authorities arrested nine students, ages 14 to 18, on charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot. The arrests preceded the circulation of the shooting threats.

The sheriff's office received its first tip about a potential shooting at the football game on Thursday night. Text messages carrying the same threat spread across the school community on Friday morning. Deputies investigated both the initial report and the digital messages, determining neither was genuine.

Officials stated that the individual behind the false threats claimed they were attributed to the injured teenager. Investigators examined that specific claim and found it to be incorrect. As of Friday, the agency had not identified the originator of the threats or established a connection between that person and the injured student.

Security measures for the game include additional deputies, K-9 units, and mounted patrol officers. Personnel from the St. Cloud Police Department will also be stationed at the high school. OCSO Captain Kim Montes indicated that the false reports could result in criminal prosecution. “False reports of a shooting will not be tolerated and if the suspect is identified, that person will be charged,” Montes said.

The game remains on the schedule for Friday night. The source of the threats remained unknown as the day progressed, but law enforcement confirmed the field was ready for play.