US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton appeared moved on 18 August while answering audience questions about gun violence during a campaign event in Las Vegas. She told the crowd she supports stronger, more balanced gun control laws but reiterated her pledge to tackle gun violence in America if elected president.

"I will do whatever I can. I am not afraid of this fight. I am not backing off from this fight because it has gone way too far in one direction and we need to get back to some balance," Clinton told the crowd, which included many college students and African Americans.

Meanwhile, the Republicans have successfully loosened gun restrictions across the country in recent years while catering to core voters who are overwhelmingly white.

"I don't see any conflict between the legitimate protection of Second Amendment rights and protecting people from gun violence from people who should never have guns in the first place," Clinton said, in reference to the US constitutional amendment that secures the right to bear arms.

She appeared visibly moved when she mentioned the deadly shooting spree in June at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, which left nine people dead.

"That young man who murdered those nine people at Bible study in the church in Charleston should never have gotten that gun," Clinton said, in reference to Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old man accused of the shooting. "They were waiting on the information and three days went by and under the rules he got to get the gun but at what cost?"

Roof was able to buy a gun because of mistakes in a background check that should have revealed an admission of drug possession, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in July.

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