A South Carolina jury on Monday found convenience store owner Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in Columbia, South Carolina. Chow, 61, is Asian. Prosecutors said he shot the Black teenager in the back after chasing him from his store, while Chow’s defense argued he acted to protect his son after believing the teen had pointed a gun at him.
The verdict brought an emotional reaction in the courtroom. Members of Carmack-Belton’s family cried out in distress after the decision was announced, while Chow sat silently before lowering his head onto his hands. The case drew intense attention in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black, and it became a source of grief and anger in the local African American community.
During closing arguments, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented sharply different accounts of the shooting. Prosecutors said Chow became angry after incorrectly believing the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. They argued that Chow pursued Carmack-Belton for more than 130 yards, shot him in the back, and that the teenager never threatened anyone with the semiautomatic pistol he had. According to prosecutors, the gun fell to the ground during the chase and was not used to threaten the store owner or his son.
Solicitor Byron E. Gipson told jurors that Chow “chased a kid down” and shot him, stressing that witness testimony did not support the defense version of events. He said multiple witnesses testified that they did not see anything in Carmack-Belton’s hands and did not see him point a gun while fleeing the store. Gipson also used a bottle of water during closing arguments to underscore the prosecution’s claim that the confrontation began over a minor theft allegation.
The defense rejected that account and argued the killing was justified. Defense attorney Shaun Kent said the case was not about a shoplifter, but about a father responding to a direct threat to his child. He told jurors that Andy Chow testified the teenager pointed a gun at him, forcing his father to make a split-second decision to defend his son.
The shooting in 2023 led to vigils and protests outside the Columbia store. At one memorial, empty water bottles were arranged to spell out “Cyrus,” reflecting the circumstances that prosecutors said triggered the encounter. The case became a painful symbol for many in the community, particularly because the victim was only 14 years old.
After the acquittal, the courtroom remained tense as the family processed the outcome. The verdict ended the murder trial, but the case has already left a lasting mark on Columbia and on residents who saw the shooting as part of a broader conversation about race, violence, and the use of deadly force.
