Any intruder breaking into my house will be shot, says Kamala Harris in Oprah interview

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, stated that any intruder who tried to break into her house would get shot as she spoke on the contentious issue of gun control in the United States.

In Short

• Kamala Harris warns intruders will be shot in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
• Harris acknowledges her gun ownership for safety, while Trump favours restrictions
• Gun control is a hot-button issue in the 2024 presidential election

US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in the 2024 presidential race, made a bold statement about personal safety during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the American talk show host and television producer, before a live studio audience. When the conversation turned to gun laws -- a contentious topic in the US -- Harris, a gun owner, warned that any potential intruder who tried to break into her house would be "getting shot".

"If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot," Kamala Harris said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Thursday, before quickly adding with a laugh, "I probably should not have said that. But my staff will deal with that later."

Harris, a former prosecutor and attorney general, has previously acknowledged her personal gun ownership.

"I am a gun owner, and I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do -- for personal safety. I was a career prosecutor," she told reporters in 2019.

Harris's comments come during heightened political tensions following a second potential assassination attempt against her opponent, Donald Trump.

The conversation quickly shifted to gun control, a key issue in the election, with Harris supporting stricter gun regulations, including a ban on assault weapons, enhanced background checks, and "red flag" laws to disarm individuals deemed dangerous, reported Reuters.

Trump, 78, by contrast, favours most restrictions on arms and ammunition.

During the interview, Harris reiterated her support for the Second Amendment, stating, "I support the right to gun ownership," while also highlighting her commitment to common-sense gun laws.

A White House source recently confirmed Harris still owns a handgun for protection at her California home, although the type of firearm has not been disclosed, according to Reuters.

Gun control remains a hot-button issue in the 2024 election. Pew Research shows that while one-third of Americans own a gun, two-thirds of Americans support stricter gun laws, with nearly 90% favouring policies to prevent the mentally ill from accessing firearms.