"Just 45 percent in this national survey favor an assault weapons ban, down 11 percentage points from…2013 and down from a peak of 80 percent in 1994. Fifty-three percent oppose such a ban, the most on record," ABC News said, commenting on ABC News/Washtington Post poll.
The media outlet said that the reason for it was the public's doubts about whether the authorities were able to prevent "lone wolf" terrorist attacks. It explained that 42-47 percent of Americans thought that the permission to carry guns legally was a better response to terrorism than gun controls laws.
The poll was conducted on December 10-13 via telephone, with 1,002 adults interviewed.
The survey was carried out just a week after a shooting at Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, that claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 21 others.
Following the attack, US President Barack Obama called for the need of a stricter gun control across the country, although not specifying whether he will reintroduce the 1994-2004 assault weapons ban.
