Rick Chow Found Not Guilty in Shooting Death of 14-Year-Old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, Leaving Columbia Community Searching for Answers

COLUMBIA, S.C. Convenience store owner Chikei “Rick” Chow has been found not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton.

After several hours of deliberating, the verdict was announced on Monday, June 1, 2026. Chow, who was charged with murdering Cyrus in a convenience store confrontation, insisted the shooting was a way to protect his son in his defense. Prosecutors said the shooting was unnecessary and occurred in a chase that began when Cyrus was suspected of taking bottled water.

In May 2023, Cyrus Carmack-Belton passed away at the age of 14. Trial coverage indicates the teenager was shot in the back after he exited the store. Prosecutors said Cyrus was mistaken about stealing water and witnesses didn't see him pointing a gun at Chow or his son. The defense said that Cyrus had a gun, and Chow thought his son was in trouble.

The jury eventually agreed with the defense and found Chow not guilty of murder.

The verdict brought up a sore spot for many in Columbia's black community. Cases had become bigger than one courtroom. It was an expression of the threat that many parents feel their children pose, particularly black boys.

After the verdict, you could see some of Cyrus' family and supporters were visibly emotional. Family attorney Todd Rutherford told his clients that he didn't like the verdict and that a civil action would be filed. Although the criminal proceeding against the man has been dropped, the questions remain for many of the area's residents: "Why was a child chased when he was suspected of having been involved in a store incident? So what went wrong in the encounter – why was the 14-year-old found dead? And what is justice when a family walks away empty-handed from court?

Chow's defense attorneys were satisfied with the verdict but recognized the tragedy of Cyrus' death. The defense presented the case under the standard of self-defense and defense of another person. But, according to prosecutors, Chow's acts of protection turned into a deadly pursuit.

Criminal law and community grief are also themes of the case. No conviction is reached when a not-guilty verdict is given, indicating that the State has not proven the guilt of Chow beyond a reasonable doubt. It doesn't take away the pain of the loss of a child, a grieving family, and a community still asking questions.

Cyrus Carmack-Belton's name is now part of a long list of young black lives lost that have left communities wondering if the justice system recognizes them as full human beings. His death in Colombia serves as a stark reminder of the deadly speed with which suspicion, fear and confrontation can spiral out of control.