Malice? Or protecting his son? — Trial for store owner accused of killing 14-year-old begins

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The trial of Columbia convenience store owner, Rick Chow — accused of shooting and killing 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in 2023 — began Wednesday morning.

The teen’s death gained national headlines and sparked civil rights protests across the city.

During opening statements, Prosecutor Byron Gipson told the 12 jurors that 14-year-old Carmack-Belton was killed with malice, falsely believed to have shoplifted from Chow’s store on Parklane Road. But Defense Attorney Jack Swerling painted a different picture, saying Chow only fired the weapon to save his son Andy’s life.

“In what world do you get to falsely accuse a 14-year-old of stealing, chase a 14-year-old 130-plus yards down a road, while you’re armed with a pistol, shoot that person in the back, then claim you’re defending your son?” asks Gipson the the jurors.

“Rick Chow sees a young man pointing a semi-automatic pistol at his son, who’s backing up with his hands up. And Rick Chow fires his gun to protect his son,” says Swerling to jurors.

In May of 2023, attorneys say Carmack-Belton entered the store wearing a red hoodie, and carrying a backpack. The teenager left his backpack near the door-as part of the store’s no bag/no weapon policy, say prosecutors.

Gipson says security footage shows Carmack-Belton pick up four water bottles, and then put them back — with Gipson saying the Chows watching the teenager suspiciously.

“And they continued to verbally attack him, accusing him of stealing water,” says Gipson.

Carmack-Belton then left the store and ran — Chow and his adult son Andy chasing him over 130 yards before the deadly altercation occurred.

Chow took his registered gun with him. 14-year-old Carmack-Belton also had a semi-automatic gun in his pocket — both according to attorneys.

“But he was going out there to protect his son, make sure his son was ok, it’s his son!” says Swerling to the jury pool.

Several witnesses were called during day one of the trial, including the first officer to arrive to the scene, and Lori Ann Carson, who had stopped at the store with her grandchildren. Seeing the chase happen, she followed them in her car — showing up after the shooting occurred.

“So the young lady started doing chest compressions, and Mr. Chow was giving CPR mouth-to-mouth to (Carmack-Belton), and I just told him to keep on…keep on,” Carson says after taking the stand during the trial.

The trial is expected to last several days. Stay tuned to ABC Columbia News for updates.