Parents of Uvalde child killed in school shooting refuse to meet with Gov. Greg Abbott

The parents of 10-year-old Alexandra "Lexi" Aniyah Rubio, one of the 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting declined an invitation to meet with Gov. Greg Abbott, saying their daughter did not like the Republican leader.

Parents Kimberly and Felix Rubio told the New York Times that they were asked by Abbott's office on Wednesday if they wanted to meet with the governor but had no interesting in doing so. "My first thought was, ‘My Lexi doesn’t even like him," Kimberly told the Times. “She was really little, but we talked about this stuff at home.”

The parents are now calling for the state to ban the purchase of AR-15 style weapons, like the one suspected gunman Salvador Ramos is accused of using to kill 19 children and two teachers at the elementary school on Tuesday. Felix, an off-duty sheriff, told the Times he thinks his department will go against him for supporting such measures.

“We live in this really small town in this red state, and everyone keeps telling us, you know, that it’s not the time to be political, but it is — it is,” Kimberly told the Times. “Don’t let this happen to anybody else.”

Kimberly and Felix were at Robb Elementary School the morning of the shooting to attend their two children's awards ceremonies. After her daughter's tragic death, Kimberly wrote on Facebook: "My beautiful, smart, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio was recognized today for All-A honor roll. She also received the good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye."

In a separate interview with ABC News, Felix said that as soon as he heard about the shooting, he returned to the school and was there at the time the gunman was shot. In response to Texas officials admitting they should have breached the classroom where the shooting took place sooner, Kimberly told ABC News she blames herself for not taking her daughter home after the ceremony.

"I have enough 'what ifs' on my end, so I am not interested in reading about somebody else's mistakes, because I already have to live my own," Kimberly told ABC. "It wasn't done on purpose, but it's still a mistake because I made it, otherwise she'd be home with me. I left my baby at that school."

The parents said Lexi loved to play softball and was quiet and shy, "but when she had a point she wanted made, she made it," Kimberly told ABC News. They said Lexi wanted to become a lawyer. "She wanted to make a difference," Kimberly said. "And I want that for her now, she still can. So if people can help that dream be realized, that'd be great."

"We're going to need help from others," Felix added. "It can't just be us two."

Some Texas leaders are demanding change. The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus on Saturday released a letter urging Abbott to call an emergency special legislative session to consider several gun restrictions and safety measures in wake of the school shooting, according to the Texas Tribune. Among their suggestions are bills that would raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21-years and implement universal background checks for all firearm sales.