JIM SALTER, Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — The stepfather of Michael Brown has apologized for angry comments he made after the grand jury decided not to indict the police officer who killed his stepson, but says those comments had nothing to do with fires and violent rioting that ravaged Ferguson and the surrounding area.

Louis Head said Wednesday in a statement to CNN that he was full of emotions on the night of Nov. 24, when he yelled “Burn this bitch down!” and other comments. Head does not have a listed phone number and there was no response when an Associated Press reporter knocked at his door.

St. Louis County police are investigating Head’s comments as part of a broader inquiry into the rioting. Twelve commercial buildings were destroyed in the aftermath of the announcement.