| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #12051 |
| 1 | Based on what you know right now, do you think the shootings at Virginia Tech were completely avoidable? Partially avoidable? Or unavoidable? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Completely Avoidable | 11% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 13% | 9% | 16% | ** | ** | 8% | 12% | 14% | 10% | 7% | 18% |
| Partially Avoidable | 39% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 40% | 32% | ** | ** | 34% | 48% | 34% | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Unavoidable | 46% | 46% | 46% | 49% | 47% | 43% | 47% | 42% | ** | ** | 55% | 37% | 47% | 45% | 51% | 45% |
| Not Sure | 5% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 11% | ** | ** | 3% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 30% | 38% | 32% | 83% | 14% | 1% | 1% | 30% | 36% | 24% | 28% | 29% | 11% |
| 2 | Do you think authorities could have done anything differently that would have prevented the shootings or led to fewer deaths? Or do you think authorities did everything they could? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Could Have Done Something Differently | 43% | 43% | 44% | 51% | 40% | 40% | 42% | 50% | ** | ** | 35% | 50% | 42% | 39% | 44% | 36% |
| Did Everything They Could | 45% | 48% | 43% | 44% | 44% | 49% | 46% | 39% | ** | ** | 54% | 41% | 45% | 50% | 45% | 51% |
| Not Sure | 11% | 9% | 13% | 6% | 16% | 11% | 12% | 11% | ** | ** | 10% | 9% | 14% | 11% | 12% | 13% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 30% | 38% | 32% | 83% | 14% | 1% | 1% | 30% | 36% | 24% | 28% | 29% | 11% |
| 3 | Virginia citizens can obtain licenses to carry concealed weapons, but Virginia Tech has a policy prohibiting guns on campus. If guns were allowed on campus, do you think fewer people would have died? Do you think more people would have died? Or do you not think it would have made a difference either way? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Fewer People Would Have Died | 17% | 21% | 14% | 12% | 23% | 15% | 18% | 12% | ** | ** | 27% | 12% | 15% | 21% | 16% | 16% |
| More People Would Have Died | 31% | 32% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 34% | 33% | 23% | ** | ** | 23% | 37% | 32% | 26% | 38% | 27% |
| Would Not Have Made a Difference | 44% | 42% | 47% | 49% | 41% | 43% | 43% | 50% | ** | ** | 45% | 44% | 43% | 45% | 43% | 52% |
| Not Sure | 7% | 6% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 15% | ** | ** | 5% | 7% | 10% | 7% | 4% | 6% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 30% | 38% | 32% | 83% | 14% | 1% | 1% | 30% | 36% | 24% | 28% | 29% | 11% |
| 4 | Do you think gun laws in Virginia should be more restrictive than they are now? Less restrictive than they are now? Or do you think gun laws in Virginia are just about right? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| More Restrictive | 52% | 50% | 53% | 41% | 52% | 61% | 48% | 69% | ** | ** | 43% | 61% | 47% | 46% | 53% | 60% |
| Less Restrictive | 8% | 12% | 5% | 12% | 9% | 4% | 7% | 15% | ** | ** | 8% | 6% | 12% | 10% | 5% | 6% |
| About Right | 38% | 37% | 39% | 45% | 37% | 32% | 43% | 13% | ** | ** | 47% | 31% | 40% | 43% | 41% | 32% |
| Not Sure | 2% | 1% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | ** | ** | 3% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 30% | 38% | 32% | 83% | 14% | 1% | 1% | 30% | 36% | 24% | 28% | 29% | 11% |