A South Carolina jury has found Chikei Rick Chow, a 61-year-old store owner, not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a 14-year-old. The incident occurred after Chow chased the teenager from his convenience store in Columbia, South Carolina, and shot him in the back. Chow, who is of Asian descent, maintained that he acted in defense of his son.
Community Reaction
The verdict has deeply affected the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half of the population is Black. The family of Carmack-Belton expressed their distress in the courtroom as the verdict was read. Chow remained silent, bowing his head in response to the decision.
Defense attorney Jack Swerling expressed satisfaction with the verdict but also extended sympathy to the Carmack-Belton family. He emphasized the dangers of a young teenager carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol in public. Meanwhile, attorney Todd Rutherford, representing the Carmack-Belton family, voiced the family’s disappointment and confusion over the jury’s decision.
Legal Perspectives
Rutherford, alongside Carmack-Belton’s father, Troy Belton, addressed the media outside the Richland County Courthouse. He urged supporters to express their anger peacefully and announced the family’s intention to pursue a civil lawsuit against Chow despite the criminal acquittal.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Chow acted out of anger, mistakenly believing the teen had stolen water bottles. They acknowledged that Carmack-Belton had a semi-automatic pistol but claimed it was dropped during the chase and never used to threaten anyone. The defense countered by stating that Chow fired his weapon only after the teen allegedly pointed a gun at his son, Andy Chow.
Witnesses provided conflicting accounts, with some stating they did not see Carmack-Belton brandishing a weapon. The defense highlighted that only members of the Chow family testified to seeing the gun pointed.
Community Impact
The shooting led to vigils and protests outside the store, with community members arranging empty water bottles to spell out “Cyrus” in remembrance of the teenager. The case has sparked discussions about community safety and the responsibilities of store owners in such situations.
Original reporting: WTOL Toledo — read the source article.
