On Monday, the owner of a gas station in South Carolina was charged with murder after he reportedly shot and killed a 14-year-old boy he thought was stealing water bottles.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office said that 58-year-old Rick Chow was caught and charged in the shooting death of Cyrus Carmack-Belton in Columbia, South Carolina.
Sheriff Leon Lott told the press on Monday that the teen did not steal from the Shell gas station, even though Chow thought he did.
“He didn’t take anything from the store. Lott said, “We have no proof that he stole anything at all.”
Police said that there was an argument in the store before Cyrus left and ran away.
Lott said that the owner of the convenience store, who cops said had a gun, and his son chased after the teenager as he headed toward an apartment complex.
The tweet below verifies the news:
My God…please pray for this young boy’s family and community.🙏🏾😓
Richland County convenience store owner charged with murder in shooting death of 14-year-old boy https://t.co/4Yuqd5cu8M
— Mia McLeod (@MiaforSC) May 29, 2023
Police say that when Cyrus fell during the run, he got up and Chow shot him in the back.
Police say that Chow’s son told them that the person who was killed had a gun. Police said that a gun was found near the teen’s body, but they couldn’t say who owned the gun.
“Even if he had stolen four bottles of water from the cooler, which is what he did at first and then put back,” Lott said, “that’s not a reason to shoot anyone, let alone a 14-year-old.” “You just don’t do that.”
After a calm protest at the gas station on Monday, there were reports of vandalism and theft, which Lott condemned at a second press conference on Tuesday. He said that those who were involved would be held accountable.
A police report says that protesters broke the store’s window, messed with the gas pumps, sprayed paint outside the store, and left with beer and other food.
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