Texas Tech student questioned by TSA for brandishing school's 'finger gun' salute

Fox News ^

[TigerClaws]

Taking a semester off from Texas Tech University to help her family recover from Hurricane Harvey, Diana Durkin was thrilled to return to campus for her sophomore year. But ironically, it was her enthusiasm that nearly halted her plans when she was stopped by the TSA before a Jan. 6 flight out of William P. Hobby Airport in Houston.

“I love Texas Tech. I love the people, I love the school. Anytime I see someone I get really excited,” the 19-year-old told BuzzFeed News.

In a nod to TTU’s mascot, the Masked Rider, Durkin said that Texas Tech fans often salute each other with a finger gun and a “Wreck ‘em” slogan when they see each other — which is exactly what got her flagged by the TSA.

Waiting on line for security, Durkin spotted a man in a Texas Tech hoodie, and reflexively threw up a finger gun, to which he gave an odd look. Moments after, a TSA agent led her out of line to question the gesture. Taking to Twitter in a panic to detail the incident, Durkin’s well-intentioned mishap soon went viral.

“In the airport security line and I see someone wearing a Texas Tech hoodie and I look at them and do the gun hand signal because wreck em amiright [sic]. tsa is now pulling me aside to talk to me,” she wrote in a post that soon won over 3,700 retweet sand 38,000 likes.

[Bob434]

he was suspended for chewing a poptart into an “L” shape which ‘resembled a gun’

[Bob434]

[[Moments after, a TSA agent led her out of line to question the gesture.]]

To which she should have said “It’s a finger- it’s harmless- Here, lemme prove it to you... Pull my finger”

[SandRat]

Well, it could’ve been the middle finger salute to TSA

[Delta 21]

[MEG33]

Good Grief!
My children, their spouses and 3 grandsons all graduated from Texas Tech...I’ll be emailing this to them!

[smokingfrog]

oooOOOhHH...

Definitely NOT GUILTY!

[353FMG]

And what about the gesture that goes along with the “gig’m horns” expression?
Is that not a threatening gesture?
It resembles an MS-13 gesture.

[boxlunch]

Ours too! No surprise the “guns up” sign has liberals in a fainting spell. It just triggers them so much. ( sorry, couldn’t resist)

[Drango]

TSA agents are mostly people too stupid to get hired as greeters for Walmart.

[boxlunch]

My husband has has the same thing happen. He figured out you cant layer two electronic devices on top of each other. The machine cant see through to check them. . The insulated cup? Guess it was just way too confusing for them to understand (🙄🤓) Where do they find these people?

[luvie]

yeah...don’t let them wear a guns-up tee in the stupid airport! Sheesh!

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

She can play with my guns anytime.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Yes, there are just SOOOO so many blonde haired, blue eyed 19 year old girls on the terrorist watch list.

[unixfox]

the next terrorist they catch will be the first......we pay these people only for peace of mind

We pay them for a false sense of security. If threatened most would flee the scene or hide.

[Thud]

I feel safer knowing that TSA protects us from Texas Tech.

[luvie]

Could they be stupider??

[smokingfrog]

👉    Could they be stupider??

[Seruzawa]

Another vigilant little fascist strikes again.

[Texas Fossil]

Never underestimate the nuttiness of the TSA.

[Texas Fossil]

Unknown Object?

Such sensors used by those with no sense.