Jena Sims, wife of golfer Brooks Koepka, shared a heartfelt response to the shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday, September 4. This school, which was part of her teenage years, holds personal significance for her. Apalachee High School, located in Winder, Barrow County, Georgia—the same town where Sims was born and grew up—was affected by the tragic event.
In an Instagram story, Sims expressed her distress, writing: “This is so f***ing sad. My rival high school in my hometown of Winder. It makes me terrified to think about sending Crew to school one day. Praying.” She followed up with a call for better protection for children.
Sims, who was born in Winder in 1988 and attended Winder-Barrow High School from 2003 to 2007, experienced a successful pageant career during her high school years. She was crowned Miss Georgia Junior National Teenager in 2004, Miss Junior National Teenager in 2005, and Miss Georgia Teen USA in 2006. Although she was set to compete in Miss Teen USA 2007, she chose not to participate.
In the shooting that occurred on September 4, a 14-year-old student opened fire in Apalachee High School’s hallway, leading to the deaths of two students and two teachers, with at least nine others injured. The suspect, who surrendered and will face charges as an adult, has yet to reveal a motive. The school’s 1,800 students were initially sheltered in place and then evacuated to the football field before being sent home.
The incident has prompted reactions from various political figures. President Joe Biden condemned the shooting in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the ongoing issue of gun violence in communities. He noted, “Back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump, and Georgia State Senator Raphael Warnock also expressed their condemnation and condolences. According to a study by the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security, this shooting is the deadliest among the more than 70 school shootings that have occurred in Georgia from 1970 to 2022.
