South Carolina Jury Acquits Store Owner in Teen's Shooting, Sparking Community Outcry
A South Carolina jury has acquitted Chikei Rick Chow, a store owner, of murder charges in the 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton. The incident occurred after Chow chased the teenager from his convenience store in Columbia, believing he had stolen water bottles. Chow claimed he acted in defense of his son, alleging that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him. The verdict has been met with distress from the victim's family and the local community, who feel the decision undermines the value of Black lives. 
