Trending Now - Store Owner Acquitted in Fatal Shooting of Black Teen in SC
WHO:
CNN - Chikei Rick Chow, 61, is the store owner involved in the case.
CNN - Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a 14-year-old Black teen, was the victim.
ABC News - Defense attorney Shaun Kent represented Chow.
ABC News - Solicitor Byron E. Gipson represented the prosecution.
WHAT:
CNN - A South Carolina jury found Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the shooting of Cyrus Carmack-Belton.
ABC News - Chow shot Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his convenience store.
ABC News - Chow maintained he acted to defend his son during the incident.
CNN - Chow chased Carmack-Belton more than 130 yards from the store.
ABC News - Prosecutors stated that Chow acted in anger, believing the teen had stolen four bottles of water.
WHERE:
CNN - The incident occurred in Columbia, South Carolina.
ABC News - The shooting took place at Chow's convenience store.
WHEN:
CNN - The shooting occurred in 2023.
ABC News - The jury returned the not guilty verdict on a Monday.
WHY:
CNN - Chow claimed he shot Carmack-Belton to defend his son, who he said was threatened by the teen pointing a gun at him.
ABC News - Prosecutors argued that Chow's actions were driven by anger over a perceived theft.
HOW:
CNN - Chow shot Carmack-Belton in the back after a chase.
ABC News - Prosecutors acknowledged that Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, which fell during the chase and was not used to threaten anyone.
(UPDATED June 2, 2026 04:20 UTC)
A South Carolina jury has found Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, who was chased more than 130 yards from Chow's convenience store before being shot in the back. Chow maintained that he acted to defend his son, who he claimed was threatened by Carmack-Belton, while prosecutors argued that his actions were fueled by anger over a perceived theft of four bottles of water. Although Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol that fell during the chase, it was acknowledged that it was not used to threaten anyone during the incident.