At the recent presidential debate, Kamala Harris revealed that she is a gun owner, a topic she has rarely discussed. The revelation has drawn attention due to her strong advocacy for gun safety measures.
Kamala Harris owns a handgun, which is described as a small pistol that could fit into a purse. This firearm is securely stored at her home in Los Angeles.
The exact make, model, and calibre of the firearm have not been publicly disclosed, but it is said that she acquired the gun for personal protection, a decision influenced by her long career as a prosecutor, where she handled numerous violent crime cases.
Harris’s associate said that it is not uncommon for prosecutors to own guns for this reason, as they do not receive department-issued firearms like police officers.
Responding to Donald Trump‘s claim that she “wants to confiscate your guns,” Harris said that both she and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, are gun owners. “We’re not taking anybody’s guns away. So stop with the continuous lying about this stuff,” she added.
She first mentioned owning a firearm in 2019 during her presidential campaign. Harris does not keep a second firearm at her residence in Washington DC, where she primarily resides as vice president.
Despite owning a gun, Harris is an outspoken advocate for stricter gun control laws. She supports measures such as an assault weapons ban and background checks for gun purchases.
Harris has argued that supporting the Second Amendment and advocating for sensible gun regulations are not mutually exclusive.
Harris has also emphasized that her advocacy for gun control is rooted in her experiences dealing with the aftermath of gun violence. “I have personally seen what assault weapons do to the human body,” she said in a recent interview.
She also added that while the Second Amendment protects the right to own a gun, there is no place for weapons of war on American streets.