St. Cloud football game on after officials rule shooting threats false

The football game between Harmony High School and St. Cloud High School is scheduled to take place Friday evening after authorities confirmed that reported shooting threats were not genuine. Osceola County Sheriff's Office officials said the match will proceed with an increased security presence to ensure safety for players and spectators.

The decision follows a chain of events that began on Oct. 16, when a 17-year-old student was attacked near Harmony High School. Police said the victim had intervened during a lunch period incident where a group of students was throwing carrots at another student. The confrontation escalated later that day, resulting in the victim receiving 11 stitches at a hospital.

Authorities arrested nine students between the ages of 14 and 18 on Oct. 21 in connection with the assault. The suspects face charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot. This incident created a tense environment at the school, which contributed to the circulation of new threats ahead of the Friday game.

The sheriff's office received a tip on Thursday night claiming a shooting would occur at the football game. By Friday morning, text messages describing the same threat had spread among students. Investigators reviewed the initial tip and the circulating messages, determining that neither report was legitimate. Officials noted that the person making the false threats claimed the injured teenager was responsible, an allegation investigators also rejected.

Security arrangements for Friday night include additional deputies, K-9 units, and mounted patrol officers. Personnel from the St. Cloud Police Department will also be on site. Captain Kim Montes of the sheriff's office stated that the department is treating the false reports as a potential criminal offense. "False reports of a shooting will not be tolerated and if the suspect is identified, that person will be charged," Montes said.

As of Friday, investigators had not identified the individual who originated the threats or determined if that person had a connection to the student injured in the Oct. 16 attack. The game remains on the calendar for the night of Oct. 23.