South Carolina gas station owner has been arrested and charged with murder in 14-year-old’s shooting death.
According to ABC News Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said at a news conference that station owner Rick Chow incorrectly suspected Cyrus Carmack-Belton had shoplifted bottles of water from the Xpress Mart Shell station in Columbia.
After a verbal confrontation, the sheriff said Carmack-Belton fled and was pursued by Chow’s son.
Chow joined the chase, armed with a pistol, Lott said. As they ran by nearby apartments, Carmack-Belton fell and got back up and Chow fired, striking Carmack-Belton in the back. Chow’s son said the teen had a gun, and investigators did find a gun close to Carmack-Belton’s body, Lott said.
“Even if he had shoplifted four bottles of water, which he had taken out of the cooler and then put back — even if he had done that, that’s not something you should shoot anybody over, much less a 14-year-old,” Lott
This was not an accidental shooting by any means,” Rutherford said. “This was a very intentional shooting. And unfortunately, Cyrus Carmack-Belton lost his life.”
There was no sign that Carmack-Belton was fighting with Chow before he ran out of the store, Rutherford said. There was no injury to his body other than an abrasion from falling and the gunshot wound, she said.
Chow legally owned the gun and it is believed that he had a concealed weapons permit, Lott said.
There had been previous shoplifting incidents and assaults on the owner and his family at the store, but previous incidents didn’t rise to the level where he should have been charged, Lott said.
“Last night it rose to that level and that’s why he’s charged with murder today,” Lott said.
The sheriff’s office said a crowd of people was dispersed from the station Monday night after protests there turned destructive. When deputies arrived, they found shattered windows and a large crowd of people inside the store stealing merchandise. Lott said in a statement those involved would be identified and prosecuted.
The entire gas station was behind yellow crime scene tape Tuesday morning. Dozens of crushed water bottles littered the parking lot. Graffiti, most of it “Cyrus” or “14” covered the walls.
Occasionally, a car would park in the tiny section of driveway to take photos or someone would walk down the sidewalk taking cellphone video.
Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a 14-year old Black boy in South Carolina was shot to death yesterday by gas station owner Rick Chow over a bottle of water he “thought” he was stealing. Cyrus wasn’t stealing but even if he was, a bottle of water is no reason to take a child’s life! pic.twitter.com/wlYnqevxpF
— Jessica (J.A.M.) Aiwuyor ? (@JAMAiwuyor) May 29, 2023
And
May 2023. Rick Chow, the owner of a Shell gas station in Columbia, South Carolina, has been arrested and charged with murder after he shot and killed 14 year old Cyrus Carmack-Belton for suspected shoplifting. Protests were held at his gas station and the store was spray painted… pic.twitter.com/ZOiS6sTHCP
— Southern Man (@MagicBelle1) May 30, 2023
And
A South Carolina gas station owner murdered a 14-yo kid he mistakenly thought was stealing a bottle of water from his store. I guess this is where we are in America – to some ppl, human beings have become worth less than a $2 bottle of water. https://t.co/iPq8ZJTPHR
— Christine_M (@AnfelisaSpiorad) May 29, 2023
