A South Carolina jury on Monday found convenience store owner Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the 2023 fatal shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton. Chow, 61, shot Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his Columbia store.

Chow maintained throughout the trial that he acted to defend his son. Defense attorneys argued that Chow fired only after Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at his son, Andy Chow. The defense noted that Andy Chow testified the teen had pointed a weapon at him during the incident.

Prosecutors presented a different account, saying Chow acted in anger because he wrongly believed the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. They acknowledged that Carmack-Belton carried a semiautomatic pistol but said it fell to the ground during the chase and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards from the store before shooting him.

The prosecution argued that multiple witnesses testified they did not see anything in Carmack-Belton's hands and did not see him point a gun while running from the store. Prosecutor Byron Gipson told jurors that only witnesses with the last name Chow testified that the teen had pointed a weapon.

After the verdict was read, sobs could be heard from Carmack-Belton's family in the courtroom gallery. Defense attorney Jack Swerling said they were pleased with the verdict but expressed sympathy for the family. Todd Rutherford, an attorney representing the family, said they disagreed with the verdict and announced plans to pursue a civil lawsuit.

The shooting prompted vigils and protests outside the store in 2023. The case drew significant attention in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.