Store owner held without bond for 3 years acquitted of murder in teen's shooting death

A store proprietor successful South Carolina who spent 3 years successful jailhouse earlier his proceedings was acquitted of a execution complaint aft shooting and sidesplitting an equipped teen extracurricular the store successful 2023.

A assemblage successful Richland County recovered Rick Chow not blameworthy Monday successful the shooting decease of 14-year-old Cyrus Cormack-Belton.

On May 28, 2023, Chow and his son, Andy Chow, pursued Cormack-Belton retired of their Columbia, South Carolina, convenience store aft suspecting him of shoplifting.

Chikei Rick Chow is escorted retired of the courtroom aft a assemblage recovered him not blameworthy successful the 2023 fatal shooting of a 14-year-old successful Columbia, S.C., connected June 1, 2026. (Erik Verduzco/AP)

The begetter and lad duo chased the teen astir 100 yards earlier Chow changeable him successful the backmost with a .45-caliber Glock handgun, sidesplitting Cormack-Belton, according to the Post and Courier.

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Cormack-Belton was carrying a semiautomatic pistol astatine the time, and Chow's defence contended that helium aimed the weapon astatine Andy Chow, which caused the elder Chow to occurrence the changeable successful self-defense. While the authorities acknowledged that the teen had a gun, they said it fell onto the thoroughfare and posed nary information to the Chows.

Chow was charged with execution the time aft the shooting, and subsequently held without enslaved for conscionable implicit 3 years starring up to the trial.

An obituary photograph of Cyrus Cormack-Belton taken connected an chartless date. (Legacy.com)

Tensions were precocious successful the assemblage arsenic locals and activists held nationalist demonstrations successful the days and weeks aft Cormack-Belton's death. Crowds reportedly gathered extracurricular Chow's store connected May 29, 2023, and cheered erstwhile they learned that Chow was charged with murder.

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The store was vandalized aboriginal that night.

Chow's proceedings lasted for 3 days, and according to the Post and Courier, the assemblage deliberated Monday for astir 8 1/2 hours, from aboriginal day to astir 9 p.m., earlier reaching its decision.

After the not-guilty verdict, Chow was released from custody, and is present a escaped antheral for the archetypal clip since 2023.

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The household of Cyrus Carmack-Belton reacts aft a not blameworthy verdict against Chikei Rick Chow, a convenience store proprietor accused successful the 2023 fatal shooting of the 14-year-old, during a execution proceedings successful Columbia, S.C., connected June 1, 2026. (Erik Verduzco/AP)

"We’re precise pleased astatine the jury’s deliberations and their verdict," 1 of Chow’s attorneys, Jack Swerling, said aft the not-guilty verdict, WIS News 10 reported. "We deliberation it was the due verdict successful this case. Although it was a hard determination to travel to, due to the fact that you person 2 antithetic stories to the extremes."

"My bosom goes retired to them, but a 14-year-old kid should not beryllium roaming the streets of Columbia oregon South Carolina with semiautomatic pistol loaded and acceptable to fire," helium said.

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An lawyer for the Cormack-Belton family, Todd Rutherford, said the household intends to record a civilian suit against Chow.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Swerling and Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, who prosecuted the case.