Jury found store owner not guilty of murdering teen despite video showing he shot Cyrus in the back while fleeing
Family argues justice system failed Cyrus, who was unarmed and running away when killed
Acquittal sparks outrage, but family vows to continue fight for accountability in civil court
Source: FabrikaCr / Getty
We’re not surprised but no less angry…
A South Carolina jury’s decision to acquit convenience store owner Rick Chow of criminal charges related to the death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton has left the teen’s family devastated and vowing to continue their fight in civil court. ABC News reports that Chow, 61, was found not guilty of murder after a closely watched trial stemming from the fatal shooting of Carmack-Belton outside Chow’s Columbia, South Carolina, store in May 2023. The case drew national attention after authorities determined the teenager had not stolen the four bottles of water Chow initially believed he had taken. Prosecutors argued that Chow chased the teen and shot him in the back while he was running away.
Following the verdict, Cyrus’ family released an emotional statement expressing outrage over the jury’s decision.
“Yesterday a jury watched our 14-year-old boy run away from two grown men on video. They knew one of them shot him in the back and they still said no one is to blame,” the family said in a statement first released to ABC News. “We are heartbroken. We do not accept it. Cyrus stole nothing. He was a child, and he was running for his life. Our son mattered.”
The defense successfully argued that Chow acted to protect his son after Cyrus allegedly pointed a firearm at him during the encounter. Prosecutors acknowledged the teen possessed a 9mm pistol but maintained it fell to the ground during the chase and was never used to threaten anyone. Witness testimony on that crucial point sharply differed throughout the trial.
The verdict sparked emotional scenes inside the courtroom, with family members reportedly breaking down in tears as the decision was read. Outside court, the family’s attorney, Todd Rutherford, announced plans to continue pursuing a civil lawsuit that had been paused pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Cyrus’ parents have maintained that the evidence showed their son was fleeing when he was shot. His mother, Nicole Carmack, said the justice system failed her child, while his father described the outcome as another painful setback for young Black men seeking justice. BOSSIP previously reported on the case back in 2023 when the fatal shooting first sparked protests, vigils, and national debate over race, self-defense claims, and the value placed on Black lives. Despite the acquittal, the Carmack-Belton family says their fight for accountability is far from over.
