Osceola Sheriff confirms Harmony and St. Cloud football after clearing false shooting threats

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Friday that the football game between Harmony High School and St. Cloud High School will proceed as scheduled. The decision followed an investigation into shooting threats that officials determined were false.

The sheriff's office first received a tip Thursday night claiming a shooting would occur at the game. Text messages containing the same threat began circulating among students on Friday morning. Deputies investigated both the initial report and the digital messages, concluding that neither threat was genuine.

Despite the cleared threats, the agency deployed an expanded security presence for the event. Additional deputies, K-9 units, and mounted patrol officers were assigned to the high school. Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department also joined the security detail.

The threats emerged after nine students were arrested in connection with a violent attack on a 17-year-old student near Harmony High School on Oct. 16. The teenager was taken to a hospital where she received 11 stitches. Authorities linked the assault to a lunch period incident where the student intervened when a group threw carrots at another girl.

The nine arrested students, aged 14 to 18, faced charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot. Investigators examined the claim that the injured teenager was responsible for the false shooting threats and found that allegation to be false as well. The sheriff's office had not identified the person who originated the threats or determined if that individual had any connection to the injured student.

Captain Kim Montes of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office stated that the false reports could result in criminal charges. Montes said, “False reports of a shooting will not be tolerated and if the suspect is identified, that person will be charged.” As of Friday, the source of the threats remained unknown.

The game was set for Friday evening, Oct. 23, with the full security arrangement in place. The sheriff's office issued its confirmation of the game alongside the announcement of the additional law enforcement resources.