ALLEN, Texas — Rekha Shenoy believes she is alive and breathing purely based on blind luck.
The dentist, who lives in Collin County, says she avoided the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday because she was planning to attend the Ed Sheeran concert in Arlington that day and wouldn't have time.
Her decision to go to the outlet mall on Friday instead kept her out of the crosshairs of a mass shooting that killed eight and wounded seven.
"This was in our backyard, literally my backyard, " Shenoy said. "This could have been me."
"I was near that sidewalk where the victims were with my family--the same stores. That concert saved my life. More than ever, I feel like I'm staking my life on luck...on chance. I'm tired of living like this."
Shenoy is heading to Austin on Monday, along with up to 100 others potentially, from the group Collin County Parents Against Gun Violence -- a newly formed group fueled by the tragedy at the outlet mall.
They hope to plead with lawmakers who are in Austin for the 88th Legislative Session to do more to prevent mass shootings from happening.
Per a release given Wednesday, the group is asking for universal background checks with no loopholes, raising the age from 18 to 21 to purchase any firearm in Texas, implementing red flag laws, reasonable waiting periods to buy firearms and strict requirements for safe gun storage.
The group has asked to meet with Rep. Jeff Leach and Sen. Angela Paxton, who represent the area. According to the release, any other interested lawmakers are welcome to discuss potential solutions.
Leach told WFAA he welcomes the meeting. Paxton's office didn't return a comment request.
"We're hurt, we're shocked," Rev. Irvin Barrett of Sunlight Baptist Church in Allen said. Barrett intends to travel with the group as well as a member.
"We're horrified of what took place--but we're also motivated," he said. "We're motivated to see change."
Change isn't a new ask this legislative session. Parents who lost children in Uvalde last May have practically lived at the capitol for weeks.
Many of their gun reform efforts living in newly filed legislation this session, have not gone far.
Legislation requiring the purchasing age of an AR-15 to be raised from 18 to 21 did pass through a House committee earlier this week but missed a crucial deadline for a House vote.
With roughly three weeks left until the session ends May 29, many are skeptical that a unified response to gun violence can be handled under such a short deadline.
CCPAGV member Tania Rodriguez is hopeful lawmakers listen.
"Every day Texans are concerned about this," Rodriguez said. "Our concerns and our fears and our safety have no deadline."