SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — Exclusive documents obtained by 8 On Your Side have shed light on threats directed at children playing in Mary Dean Park, Sarasota.

These documents included a series of text messages exchanged between a local resident and a friend. The concerning messages were subsequently forwarded to city officials, prompting them to temporarily remove the park’s basketball hoop as a precautionary measure. Following a wave of public concern and backlash, the hoop was reinstalled last Thursday.