A South Carolina jury has found convenience store owner Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a verdict that sparked heartbreak and outrage inside the courtroom.
The emotional decision came Monday after jurors sided with Chow, 61, who admitted shooting the teen in the back after chasing him from his Columbia convenience store. Chow argued he was acting to protect his son during a chaotic confrontation.
As the verdict was read, cries and sobs erupted from Cyrus’ family seated in the gallery. Chow sat motionless before lowering his head into his clasped hands.
The case has gripped South Carolina for nearly two years, sending shockwaves through Richland County’s Black community and prompting vigils, protests and calls for justice.
Defense attorney Jack Swerling said the legal team was pleased with the outcome but acknowledged the family’s pain.
“Our hearts go out to them,” he said, while arguing that the case centered on a teenager carrying a loaded semiautomatic handgun.
But attorneys representing Cyrus’ family blasted the verdict.
“This makes us feel as if our children don’t matter — and they do,” said family attorney and state Rep. Todd Rutherford, standing beside the teen’s father. “This makes us feel like Cyrus’ life didn’t matter — and it did.”
Rutherford vowed to continue the fight in civil court.
“I’ve been practicing law for almost 30 years. I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said. “I don’t understand it.”
The trial hinged on two sharply different versions of what happened that night.
Prosecutors argued Chow became enraged after mistakenly believing Cyrus had stolen four bottles of water from the store. They said Chow chased the teenager more than 130 yards before shooting him in the back.
“Chased a kid down, shot him in the back,” prosecutor Byron Gipson told jurors.
Defense attorneys countered that Chow acted as a father protecting his son after Cyrus allegedly pointed a gun at him during the pursuit.
“This case is not about a shoplifter,” defense attorney Shaun Kent argued. “This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and has to make a decision.”
While prosecutors acknowledged Cyrus was carrying a handgun, they argued it had fallen to the ground during the chase and that he never threatened anyone with it. Multiple witnesses testified they did not see the teen point a weapon, prosecutors said.
“Nobody testified that happened that doesn’t have the last name Chow,” Gipson told the jury.
The fatal shooting sparked demonstrations outside the store, where mourners gathered to honor Cyrus. At one vigil, supporters arranged empty water bottles to spell out his name — a powerful reminder of the tragedy that continues to divide the community.
