20 extra officers and K-9s guard Harmony football after cleared threats

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the football matchup between Harmony High School and St. Cloud High School is still on the books for Friday evening.

Deputies will staff the venue with additional personnel, including K-9 units and mounted officers, to manage the crowd.

Police from the St. Cloud Police Department will also be present at the site.

The security plan follows a review of two separate reports of gunfire that officials determined were unfounded.

A tip came in Thursday night claiming a shooting would occur at the event. Text messages with the same warning spread through the school community on Friday morning.

Investigators traced the origin of the false claims to an individual who linked the threats to the teenager injured in a previous assault.

Authorities examined that specific allegation and found it to be incorrect as well.

The sheriff's office has not yet identified the person who started the rumor or confirmed any connection between that person and the injured student.

The earlier incident happened on Oct. 16 near the Harmony campus.

Several students assaulted a 17-year-old who had intervened during a lunch period dispute involving thrown vegetables.

The victim was transported to a hospital where medical staff administered 11 stitches.

Nine students, aged 14 to 18, were booked on Oct. 21 for felony aggravated battery and felony inciting a riot in connection with that beating. Captain Kim Montes of the sheriff's office stated that the false shooting reports would not be tolerated. She added that if the suspect is identified, that person will face charges. As of Friday, the source of the threats remained unknown.