Most believe that gun violence is a major problem and want to see stricter measures in place, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press and the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs.
The data come after a spike in mass shootings as recent as the Highland Park shooting in Illinois that killed six and injured 30 on July 4 and the deaths of 19 elementary-age children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas, in May.
NPR reported that the shooting in Uvalde marked the 27th school shooting in 2022 alone.
David Sterrett, NORC senior research scientist, said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that the ultimate goal of the poll was to understand people’s experiences with guns and gun violence.
“I think what we really tried to do is design this in a way that we can look at both people’s experiences with guns and gun violence, and then look at their attitudes toward guns and gun violence, and then see how people’s experiences and attitudes are related,” Sterrett said.
AP, which keeps a continuously updated list of high-profile shootings, reported three shootings in May, six in June, and the Highland Park shooting on July 4. The New York Times has a similar list, including the shooting in Greenwood, Indiana, on July 13, which resulted in three dead and two injured.
The poll, conducted from July 28 to Aug. 1, sampled 1,373 adults from both urban and suburban areas. When asked about political affiliation, 44% selected Democrat, 39% Republican, and 17% independent/no affiliation.
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Forty-eight percent of respondents identified themselves as “moderate,” the poll shows.
The AP-NORC poll asked several questions spanning from the state of gun violence in the U.S. to proposed measures to combat the crisis.
Over the last four years, an average of 84% believe there should be federally mandated background checks for all gun purchases. An average of approximately 84.7% believe mentally ill people should be prevented from purchasing a gun.
From 1966 to 2019, 77% of mass shootings were executed with legally purchased guns, the New York Times reported using data from the National Institute of Justice.
Many of those people were considered to be mentally ill but did not set off “red flag” laws, or laws that allow law enforcement, families, and doctors to petition to remove guns from people they believe are a danger to themselves.
Pew Research Center released a report in 2019 stating that of the mass shootings since 1990, one-third have been committed by people with mental illnesses.
Sterrett said a key takeaway from the poll is that most respondents were in favor of tightening gun laws already in place, rather than completely banning semi-automatic weapons — one of the most popular and widely-discussed gun restrictions.
“It’s fair to say that the data shows that the most policies that garner the most popular support among the public tend to be those who can restrict who can by guns, rather than not allowing the sale of AK-47s and semi-automatic rifles,” Sterrett said.
In response to the recent shootings, particularly in Uvalde, Congress passed the most significant firearm reform bill in almost 25 years, sending the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to President Joe Biden’s desk.
He signed the bill into law on June 25. The bill accounts for several areas, including incentivizing states to either implement or strengthen pre-existing red flag laws, as well as tightening background checks for people under 21.
The New York Times reported in June that of the deadliest mass shootings since 2018, six of the nine were committed by people 21 and younger.
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The AP-NORC poll shows large percentage gaps between several categories, with either an overwhelming majority supporting or opposing, about 83% or 84%. However, when asked “How important to you is protecting the right to own guns?” only 54%, the majority, of respondents said it was very important.
Typically, people are asked whether they support reducing gun violence or protecting gun rights as two separate ideas, Sterrett said. However, the poll asked the questions together, he said, showing that half of the population are looking for common ground.
“Often, there’s kind of a public perception that you’re either pro-gun rights or pro-preventing gun violence,” he said. “… But it’s not one or the other. There’s a large group of the public who thinks its important to both prevent mass shootings and allow people to own guns for their own personal protection.”
