"You would like to think that in the 21st century that we don't have these issues, but I think it underscores to everybody that this state has a troubled past with race, and now is the time to confront this head on and figure out who we are as a people and where we're going to take this," he said. "Because we have a really unique opportunity to begin a process of what I hope is understanding, acknowledgement, reconciliation and healing."