Osceola Schools: Harmony and St. Cloud Play Friday Night

Harmony High School and St. Cloud High School will play their scheduled football game on Friday, October 23, with a larger police presence on the grounds. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office confirmed the matchup would proceed after investigators determined that circulating shooting threats were false. The decision came one week after a violent altercation near the Harmony campus prompted arrests and renewed scrutiny of student safety.

Sheriff's deputies first received a report on Thursday evening claiming a shooting would happen at the stadium. Text messages containing the same warning spread through the school community on Friday morning. Officials said they examined both the initial tip and the digital messages. Investigators concluded that neither source indicated a genuine threat to the event.

Security measures for the Friday night game include additional deputies, K-9 units, and mounted patrol officers. Personnel from the St. Cloud Police Department will also be on site. The sheriff's office announced these arrangements alongside the confirmation that the game would start on time.

The false threats gained traction following an incident on October 16, when a 17-year-old student was beaten near Harmony High School. The victim was transported to a hospital and received 11 stitches. Authorities linked the assault to a dispute during lunch that day. The injured student had intervened after a group of peers began throwing carrots at a female classmate. The beating occurred after that lunchroom incident.

On October 21, police arrested nine students, ages 14 to 18. They face charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot. Authorities initially suggested the injured teenager was behind the false shooting reports. Investigators later found that claim to be incorrect as well. As of Friday, the sheriff's office had not identified the person who originated the threats or determined any connection between that individual and the injured student.

Captain Kim Montes of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said the department would pursue criminal charges against the source of the false reports. "False reports of a shooting will not be tolerated and if the suspect is identified, that person will be charged," Montes said. The search for the threatener continued as the teams prepared for the kickoff.