Authorities said that a 14-year old boy was fatally shot by the owner of a South Carolina convenience shop who had wrongly accused him for shoplifting. The store owner chased after him following a confrontation and then falsely accused him.
Rick Chow (58) was arrested on Monday and charged as a murderer in relation to the death of Cyrus Carmack Belton.
Richland County sheriff Leon Lott said in a Monday news briefing that there was no evidence Carmack Belton stole anything from Shell’s convenience store at the Columbia gas station.
Lott stated, “He didn’t shoplift anything.” We have no proof that he has stolen anything.
Lott reported that Carmack-Belton had entered the Parklane Road convenience store at 8 p.m. According to the sheriff who refused to disclose the details of the argument, at some point the teen and Chow, as well as the owner’s child, began arguing. Lott said that Carmack-Belton eventually left the shop and fled.
Lott added that the owner and his son, both armed with pistols, chased Carmack-Belton toward an apartment complex nearby. At one point, she fell, but then got up.
Chow’s child said that the teen was carrying a firearm, and the owner then shot Carmack in the back while he ran away. Authorities recovered a firearm near the body of the teen.
Naida Rutherford, Richland county coroner, said that the wound had caused Carmack-Belton to suffer significant heart damage and hemorrhaging. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he died.
Lott stated, “It is absurd.” It doesn’t make any sense. You have a grieving family. “We have a community grieving for a 14-year old who was shot.”
Even if Carmack Belton stole something from the shop, the sheriff said it didn’t justify a shooting.
He added: “Regardless, even though he shoplifted the four bottles of bottled water, he took them out and put them back in.” “Even though he did that, it’s still not a reason to shoot anyone, let alone a 14-year old.”
According to a sheriff’s report, the investigation concluded that the shooting “was not a biased incident.” Carmack-Belton, who is black, was shot. Chow is Asian.
According to a police statement, a crowd protested outside the store all day on Monday. Around 9:43 pm, several people entered the store and removed items from the shelves.
Images of the aftermath show Carmack Belton’s spray-painted name on the store facade, as well as broken glasses and trash. Outside the store, signs reading “No Child Deserves to Die Over Water” and “CLOSE DOWN” are also visible.
Racks have been removed from the store.
Chow was taken into custody at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Tuesday, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Chow’s attorney did not respond immediately to comments.
