I don\u2019t take normal college graduation photos… pic.twitter.com\/eI1NvLFYHs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n As per usual, Twitter exploded. In the four days since she posted the original photo, the post has received over 12,000 comments, 12,478 retweets, and 85,636 likes.<\/p>\n \u201cI did think that it would get a little attention but not to this degree,\u201d Spencer told ABC News<\/a>. \u201cIt was really, really surprising to see the amount of hate that I got.\u201d<\/p>\n One Twitter user, Victoria Silva, even tried to have Spencer arrested by contacting the local Chattanooga, Tennessee, police. Fox News<\/a> highlighted the tweet, which has since been locked:<\/p>\n @ChattanoogaPD<\/a>\u00a0would 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 \u201cno-weapons\u201d policy. This showboating behavior is irresponsible, reckless, & potentially dangerous.<\/p>\n Signed, \u2014 Victoria Silva (@Victoria__Silva)\u00a0April 9, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n Others followed suit:<\/p>\n You hope your sons find a criminal to spend forever with? And a dumb criminal at that? This is a picture of her blatantly breaking the law. Concealed carry is illegal on those museum grounds. You\u2019re providing photo evidence against yourself….this is so dumb it hurts.<\/p>\n \u2014 Kit. (@KitMaxwell_) April 8, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The photo was reportedly taken outside the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, which bans firearms inside. Some Twitter users claim that Spencer would have had to walk through the museum to reach the photo location, but that hasn\u2019t been confirmed.<\/p>\n \u201cI know the Tennessee state gun codes,\u201d Spencer, who is set to graduate in May with a major in communications and a minor in political science, told ABC News.<\/p>\n \u201cI carry everywhere that I\u2019m allowed to carry,\u201d she said, which excludes her college campus.<\/p>\n Other Twitter users claimed to support Second Amendment rights but weren\u2019t thrilled about Spencer\u2019s decision to display her firearm.<\/p>\n Because I\u2019m proud of my second amendment right and I want to empower other women! Absolutely they are tools but I will always brag about being able to carry a gun to protect myself, my friends and my family!<\/p>\n \u2014 Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 8, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \ufeff<\/span><\/p>\n Gun ownership among women is on the rise, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation<\/a>. The number of women who hunt has increased 85 percent since 2001 and target shooting has seen a 60 percent increase.<\/p>\n Like Spencer, women are most likely to purchase a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver, and they cite self-defense as the number one reason they purchase a firearm.<\/p>\n
\nA concerned citizen \ud83e\uddd0<\/p>\n\n
SEE ALSO:\u00a0Florida University Students Wearing Empty Holsters to Class to Oppose Gun Control<\/a><\/h2>\n
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