A Tennessee college senior is getting mixed reaction on social media after posing for a college graduation photo with her gun.
In the photo, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Brenna Spencer, 22, pulls a "Women for Trump" shirt up to reveal a handgun firmly tucked into her white jeans. Spencer posted the photo on her Twitter account with the caption, "I don’t take normal college graduation photos..."
The photo, which as of Tuesday had been retweeted over 8,000 times and liked over 65,000, drew praise from gun rights advocates and condemnation from others.
“I did think that it would get a little attention, but not to this degree,”
Spencer told ABC.“It was really, really surprising to see the amount of hate that I got.”
Spencer told ABC that she owns several handguns and carries "everywhere that I’m allowed to carry."
On Twitter, some praised her knowledge of her rights.
Others questioned the display.
Twitter user @Victoria__Silva tagged the Chattanooga Police Department and questioned whether Spencer broke the law for reportedly taking the photo outside the Hunter Museum of American Art, where concealed carry is not permitted.
@ChattanoogaPD would you like to give us your two cents? Per the thread, this young female is taking a photo w/ a firearm, in an area w/ a posted “no-weapons” policy. This showboating behavior is irresponsible, reckless, & potentially dangerous.
Signed,
A concerned citizen
— Victoria Silva (@Victoria__Silva)
April 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/_MichaelJIsaac/...54002/&tfw_creator=usatoday&tfw_site=usatoday
“I know the Tennessee state gun codes,” Spencer told ABC.