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Texas Tech student goes viral after angering TSA for showing school spirit

Texas Tech student Diana Durkin accidentally caught the TSA's attention by throwing up Tech's finger gun symbol to another Tech student while in the security line.
Houston Chronicle
Texas Tech student Diana Durkin accidentally caught the TSA's attention by throwing up Tech's finger gun symbol to another Tech student while in the security line.
SOURCE: Houston Chronicle
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Texas Tech student goes viral after angering TSA for showing school spirit
Showing some school spirit never hurt anyone, unless you are Diana Durkin, a 19-year-old who accidentally caught the attention of the TSA with her enthusiasm.Durkin is a sophomore at Texas Tech University and has always loved having school pride.After taking a semester off from school to help her family recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, she was excited to finally get a break and take a trip with her best friend before returning to school."Taking a semester off from a University was a hard decision, but one that I needed to make," Durkin told Chron.com. "Texas Tech has such a huge place in my heart, and I am returning for the Spring 2018 semester and could not be more thrilled."According to Durkin, fans of Texas Tech shout "guns up" to other alumni along with making a gun symbol with their hand as a way of bonding over their school.While in the security line at Hobby Airport, Durkin noticed a person wearing a Texas Tech sweatshirt, and without thinking, she excitedly threw up the gun symbol to him, which immediately got the TSA's attention.Texas Tech safety Justus Parker was put on scholarship and head coach Kliff Kingsbury got some help from a couple of Patriots to make the announcement."I throw my hand up in a gun shape, next thing I know, I am being tapped on the shoulder and asked to step out of line and be talked to," said Durkin. "They explained to me why they were pulling me aside, I apologized profusely, showed them my Texas Tech ID and complied with everything they asked me."Durkin said she was terrified the whole time, thinking she was going to be sent to jail."I've never dealt with a situation like that before," she said. "I am so very fortunate it was not worse, though. They let me off with a warning and I made my plane on time. I know that for others the situation could have been much more serious. I feel very fortunate. The TSA officers know I meant no harm, by the end of it I think they were kinda laughing too!"

Showing some school spirit never hurt anyone, unless you are Diana Durkin, a 19-year-old who accidentally caught the attention of the TSA with her enthusiasm.

Durkin is a sophomore at Texas Tech University and has always loved having school pride.

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After taking a semester off from school to help her family recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, she was excited to finally get a break and take a trip with her best friend before returning to school.

"Taking a semester off from a University was a hard decision, but one that I needed to make," Durkin told Chron.com. "Texas Tech has such a huge place in my heart, and I am returning for the Spring 2018 semester and could not be more thrilled."

According to Durkin, fans of Texas Tech shout "guns up" to other alumni along with making a gun symbol with their hand as a way of bonding over their school.

While in the security line at Hobby Airport, Durkin noticed a person wearing a Texas Tech sweatshirt, and without thinking, she excitedly threw up the gun symbol to him, which immediately got the TSA's attention.

Texas Tech safety Justus Parker was put on scholarship and head coach Kliff Kingsbury got some help from a couple of Patriots to make the announcement.

"I throw my hand up in a gun shape, next thing I know, I am being tapped on the shoulder and asked to step out of line and be talked to," said Durkin. "They explained to me why they were pulling me aside, I apologized profusely, showed them my Texas Tech ID and complied with everything they asked me."

Durkin said she was terrified the whole time, thinking she was going to be sent to jail.

"I've never dealt with a situation like that before," she said. "I am so very fortunate it was not worse, though. They let me off with a warning and I made my plane on time. I know that for others the situation could have been much more serious. I feel very fortunate. The TSA officers know I meant no harm, by the end of it I think they were kinda laughing too!"