COLUMBIA, S.C (AP) 鈥� A South Carolina jury on Monday found a store owner not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting of a Black 14-year-old.
The jury returned the verdict for Chikei Rick Chow. Chow, 61, who is Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his convenience store in Columbia. He maintained he acted to defend his son.
The killing sent waves of through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.
After the verdict was read, sobs and cries of distress could be heard coming from Carmack-Belton鈥檚 family seated in the gallery. Chow sat silently frozen before slowly bowing his head onto his interlocked hands.
Defense lawyer Jack Swerling said they’re very pleased with the verdict but also feel for Carmack-Belton’s family.
鈥淢y heart goes out to them, but 14-year-old kid should not be roaming the streets of Columbia or South Carolina with semiautomatic pistol loaded and ready to fire,鈥� he said.
Todd Rutherford, an attorney and representative in the South Carolina Legislature, stood next to Carmack-Belton鈥檚 father as he told reporters that they don’t agree with the verdict.
鈥淭his makes us feel as if our children don’t matter and they do,鈥� he said. “This makes us feel like Cyrus’ life didn’t matter and it did.”
Rutherford announced they will pursue a civil lawsuit.
鈥淚’ve been practicing law for almost 30 years. I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t understand it,鈥� he said.
Prosecutors and a defense lawyer in closing arguments painted different pictures of the 2023 shooting. Prosecutors said Chow acted in anger because he wrongly thought the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. A defense lawyer said Chow fired to defend his son only after the teen pointed a gun at him.
鈥淭his case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision,鈥� defense attorney Shaun Kent told jurors during closing arguments, noting that Andy Chow testified Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.
Prosecutors acknowledged Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, but they say it fell on the ground during the chase, and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards (119 meters) from the store.
Gipson told jurors that Chow 鈥渃hased a kid down, shot him in the back.鈥�
During closing arguments, Gipson placed a bottle of water before jurors. Gipson said Chow 鈥渁t the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.鈥�
Gipson said multiple witnesses testified that they didn鈥檛 see anything in Carmack-Belton鈥檚 hands and didn鈥檛 see him point a gun as he ran from the store.
鈥淣obody testified that happened that doesn鈥檛 have the last name Chow,鈥� Gipson said.
The fatal shooting prompted vigils and protests outside the store. Empty water bottles were arranged to spell out 鈥淐yrus鈥� at one 2023 vigil.
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