On Sunday at about 8 pm, a tragedy in Columbia, South Carolina, echoed nationwide. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced that Rick Chow, the proprietor of a gas station and convenience store in the area, had been charged with murder in the death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton.
After learning the facts of the case, Lott clarified that the gravity of the situation was “very disturbing.” He stated there was no evidence that the victim had taken any merchandise, including the water bottles, from the store or pointed a firearm at the store owner.
It all started when the young man and Chow’s son had a verbal confrontation in the store. The 14-year-old, after a heated exchange of words, took off running. Chow and his son then chased the teen to the nearby Springtree Apartments.
A gun was discovered near the victim’s body. The sheriff made it clear that, even though the deceased had his own firearm, the suspect was not justified in shooting him- as he did not pose a deadly threat.
Richland County Coroner, Naida Rutherford, reported that the deceased’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to his lower back, which caused considerable damage to his heart and heavy bleeding.
Rutherford also revealed that, based on the evidence, there was no physical altercation before the shooting; the confrontation had only been verbal. Chow’s bond hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, followed by a first court appearance set for the 23rd of June.
The public was offered a statement from Richland School District Two, which revealed that Cyrus Carmack-Belton was a student at Summit Parkway Middle School; their condolences went out to the family for their loss.
On the night of the announcement, the store belonging to the suspect was vandalized with graffiti, broken windows, and looted merchandise. Sheriff Lott reminded people that defying the law and incorrectly using a firearm could lead to devastating consequences. He reminded everyone that while defending yourself or another’s life requires using a firearm in some instances, shooting someone who is only running away and not threatening you with a gun is not a valid reason to shoot someone.
In the wake of the incident, this case serves as a precipitating reminder that everyone is responsible for their actions. It is a pressing call to protect our own lives and the lives of our fellow citizens, no matter the cost.