Black children are dying in the streets, and yet the top elected law enforcement officials in the region, who both happen to be black, aren’t invited to be part of the meeting to devise a solution.

This is St. Louis in 2019.

This wasn’t an oversight or a mistake. It wasn’t an “accidental” all-white ribbon cutting at the new Arch grounds that forces a do-over.

It was an intentional travesty that once again ripped open the city’s deep racial wounds and likely did more harm than good when it comes to reducing crime.

Bell said he was “disappointed” in the leaders for not inviting the elected prosecutors to the crime summit.

“I’m unclear how a productive conversation can be had without including the office of the prosecuting attorney,” Bell said. “How do we move beyond words and into real solutions for reducing violent crime when we don’t bring all of our law enforcement resources to the table?”

Gardner was similarly upset.