Harris: Anyone who broke into her house 'would have been shot'

Vice President Harris has told Oprah Winfrey that people who break into her house "get shot."

Harris, a Democratic presidential candidate, was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on Thursday night in a live online event called "Unite for America."

The two were talking about gun laws when Harris, who owns a gun himself, casually said in front of a live audience: "If someone breaks into my house, they're going to get shot."

"I probably shouldn't say that," she laughs. But my team will deal with it later."

Harris' personal security is closely guarded by the U.S. Secret Service, and her opponent, former President Donald Trump, has survived two assassination attempts and there is growing concern about political violence in the United States.

Harris told Oprah that she supports the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms.

Mr Trump does not favour any restrictions on guns and ammunition; Harris supports a ban on assault weapons, stricter background checks for gun buyers, and the temporary confiscation of dangerous people's guns under "red flag laws."

Harris mentioned being a gun owner when she was a U.S. senator in 2019, and she did so again during a televised debate with Trump last week, which may appeal to conservative voters.

A White House source told Reuters earlier that Harris carried the gun for her personal safety and said she kept it in a safe place in her California home.

One in three Americans owns a gun, according to the Pew Research Center; About two-thirds of Americans support stricter gun laws overall; Nearly 90 percent of Americans support policies that prevent mentally ill people from buying guns.