Jim Salter

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 said his remarks had nothing to do with the arson and looting that ravaged Ferguson and the surrounding area.

Life won’t return to normal in Ferguson for a long time, but there are signs that people in the community are trying to move on after days of intense unrest over the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case.

Several people protesting the Ferguson grand jury decision stormed into City Hall in St. Louis on Wednesday, leading police to lock down the building and to call in more than a hundred additional officers.

Attorneys for Michael Brown’s family vowed Tuesday to push for federal charges against the Ferguson police officer who killed the unarmed 18-year-old, and they renewed calls for peace following a night of violent protests in which several businesses burned to the ground.

Crews erected barricades Saturday around the building where a grand jury has been considering whether to indict the Ferguson police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, even as a grand jury decision seemed unlikely this weekend.

The most emotional appeal came from Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr. “Hurting others or destroying property is not the answer,” Brown said in the video released by the group STL Forward. “No matter what the grand jury decides, I don’t want my son’s death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone.”

The St. Louis region is on edge in anticipation of an announcement from the grand jury that is weighing whether to charge police officer Darren Wilson in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.