Sheriff deploys K-9s and mounts after clearing false threats

Eleven stitches were required to treat a 17-year-old student following an assault that triggered a series of false shooting threats against a high school football game. The incident occurred on Oct. 16 near Harmony High School, where several students allegedly beat the teenager after he intervened during a lunch period argument.

The victim was hospitalized after the attack, which officials linked to an earlier dispute involving students throwing carrots at a girl. On Oct. 21, authorities arrested nine students, ages 14 to 18, on charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot.

Following the arrests, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office received a tip on Thursday night claiming a shooting would occur at the Friday night game between Harmony and St. Cloud. Text messages carrying the same threat circulated around the school on Friday morning. Deputies investigated both the initial report and the digital messages and determined neither threat was genuine.

Despite the threats, the game remained scheduled for Oct. 23. The sheriff's office announced an expanded law enforcement presence to secure the event. Additional deputies, K-9 units, and mounted patrol officers were positioned at the high school. Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department also joined the security detail.

Investigators noted that the person responsible for the false threats claimed the injured teenager was behind the reports. Authorities examined this allegation and found it to be false as well. As of Friday, the sheriff's office had not identified the originator of the threats or established a relationship between that person and the injured student.

Captain Kim Montes of the sheriff's office stated that false reports of a shooting would not be tolerated. Montes said that if the suspect is identified, that person will face criminal charges.

The security measures accompanied the agency's confirmation that the game would go ahead on Friday evening. The source of the threats remained unknown as of that day.