He said then that it’s important that children don’t engage in risky activity, adding that about eight of 13 killed in the city this year “were teenagers engaged in criminal behaviors themselves” and “very sophisticated."

Later, Edwards said in an interview that his reference on KWMU to "about eight" included teenagers younger than 17 — the age of adulthood under Missouri criminal law — as well as some who were 17 or 18. He said he didn't include teens considered to be adults in his remarks to the public safety committee.

His initial radio comments spurred outrage from 13 organizations, which earlier this week issued a joint statement saying “this kind of demonization of our children is shocking and unacceptable.”

Among the organizations signing on were Action St. Louis, ArchCity Defenders, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, Metropolitan Congregations United, the Deaconess Foundation and the Organization for Black Struggle.

The groups also said Edwards’ comments built “on racist, dehumanizing tropes” about black children and distracted from public policies “that continue to deepen poverty and despair instead of investing resources to create safety and opportunity.”