11 Stitches Led to Threats; Friday Football Under Guard

The attack left a 17-year-old with 11 stitches. Nine students aged 14 to 18 were arrested Oct. 21, and by Friday, Oct. 23, the sheriff's office was staffing the Harmony High School football game against St. Cloud High School with extra deputies, K-9 units and mounted patrol officers. Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department were also assigned to the event.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said it received a tip Thursday night that a shooting would happen at the game. Text messages carrying the same threat circulated around the school Friday morning. Deputies investigated both the tip and the messages and found neither to be genuine. The agency also examined an allegation that the false threats came from the teenager injured in the earlier attack and determined that claim was false. The sheriff's office has not identified who originated the threats or whether that person had any relationship with the injured student.

The dispute began Oct. 16, during lunch at Harmony High School, when a group of students threw carrots at a girl. According to the sheriff's office, the 17-year-old stood up to the group. The beating followed after school, near Harmony High School, and sent the teen to a hospital for 11 stitches. Nine students were arrested Oct. 21 on charges of felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot.

Captain Kim Montes of the sheriff's office warned that generating a false report carries consequences. "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, the source of the threats remained unknown, and the sheriff's office had not established any connection to the injured student.

The game between Harmony and St. Cloud remained scheduled for Friday night, Oct. 23, under the expanded security detail. Deputies, K-9 teams, mounted patrol officers and St. Cloud police were assigned to the venue.