(CNN) A black man who was accused of trespassing at a San Francisco apartment building by a white father and shot video of their tense encounter is responding to the father's explanation and apology.

The video shot by Wesly Michel on July Fourth and widely shared on social media has sparked a larger conversation on race as both men give their perspective on the confrontation.

In the footage, the white man identified as Christopher Cukor demands that Michel, who is black, leave the property after he said he was meeting a friend.

After days of backlash, Cukor wrote in a statement posted on Medium on Tuesday that he did not target Michel due to his race, but reacted based on his past. His father was killed when he confronted a trespasser outside his home, and "past experiences and fears" can cloud someone's intentions, he wrote.

"For my child's safety, my safety and that of the building, I felt it was necessary to get help in this situation," he wrote. "Furthermore, I've encountered trespassers in my building and we've been robbed several times. This is not uncommon in San Francisco and the bad actors are all different colors."

Read More