The 14-year-old armed teenager who was shot dead by a South Carolina gas station owner died after a single bullet pierced his lower back then traveled up into his heart, the coroner has revealed.
Cyrus Carmack-Belton, 14, died on Sunday night in Columbia, South Carolina, after being wrongly accused of shoplifting by Rick Chow, the 58-year-old owner of a Shell gas station which has been known to have problems with violence and shoplifters.
Chow and his adult son chased Carmack-Belton out of the store and down the adjacent street after suspecting him of stealing bottled water.
When they realized the teenager was carrying a handgun, Chow fired his own pistol.
He shot him once in the back, and the teenager was pronounced dead.
Police are yet to explain why the teenager had a gun or where he obtained it, but they say he never wielded it at the store owner or his son.
As a result, Chow has been charged with murder and is being held in custody until bail is set.
Cyrus Carmack-Belton, 14, died on Sunday night in Columbia, South Carolina, after being wrongly accused of shoplifting by Rick Chow, the 58-year-old owner of a Shell gas station which has been known to have problems with violence and shoplifters
Rick Chow, 58, is the owner of the gas station in Columbia, South Carolina. On Sunday night at 8pm, Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a 14-year-old teenager, entered his store. Chow and his son suspected Cyrus of stealing bottled water from the store
Chow is being held in custody pending bail. He is shown in court yesterday
Angry protesters descended on the gas station on Monday share their rage, looting and smashing windows.
In an interview with DailyMail.com, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Cyrus’ grieving family, who have not yet spoken publicly about his death, were in shock.
‘If you just lost your 14-year-old son, you’d be as upset as you’d expect them to be right now,’ she said.
Rutherford posted an emotional Instagram video on Monday as Chow was charged, choking back tears as she described how Cyrus could have been ‘any of our son’s’.
She defended taking such a strong position on the case amid online criticism.
‘I am not a robot. I may deal with death every day, but most people would have a reaction to a child dying.
‘It’s not about being impartial… there is no wrong or right way to do that.’
Police are yet to reveal why Cyrus, a 14-year-old, was carrying a weapon.
At 8pm on Sunday night, Cyrus entered the store to buy drinks. He was wrongly suspected of shoplifting and chased. He was carrying a handgun, but did not point it at the store owner, according to the police. Chow shot him once in the lower right back. The bullet traveled and pierced his heart, according to the coroner
Protesters descended on the store to spray it with graffiti and leave trash in the parking lot
On Monday, protesters ransacked Chow’s gas station in protest over Cyrus’ death
The gas station was trashed on Monday night as the community learned of Cyrus’ death
Protesters trashed inside the store, knocking over displays and pouring waters on the ground
Protests: Local residents descended on the gas station to protest and call for murder charges
The Shell gas station in Columbia where the incident took place on Sunday night. It has now been vandalized
They are still investigating how he obtained it, but say they are confident he did not open fire or point it at either Chow or his son.
Police say surveillance footage from inside the gas station – which is yet to be released – also proves that he did not shoplift.
Chow’s gas station is a hotbed of shoplifting and violent run-ins with belligerent customers.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office is yet to confirm exactly how many times he called police for help over the last five years, but they say the volume of incidents is ‘very large’.
Before the incident on Sunday, his record only included traffic violations.
In an interview with DailyMail.com, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Cyrus’ grieving family, who have not yet spoken publicly about his death, were in shock. She defended becoming emotional about the case amid online scrutiny, saying: ‘I am not a robot’
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott and Coroner Naida Rutherford said Chow deserved to be charged with murder – even though the teenager was armed – because Cyrus hadn’t pointed his gun at the father or son
In response to Cyrus’ death, protesters on Monday descended on the store to smash windows, spray graffiti and loot the inventory.
Sheriff Leon Lott yesterday condemned the looting, and lamented the fact he now had to divert deputies to protect the store when they should be in the community.
‘This case is about a 14-year-old-boy who was shot and killed. It’s also about the person that was arrested who is being held accountable for it.
‘That’s what our job is. Our job is not now to guard this store. And that’s what we have to do,’ he said at a press conference.
Chow appeared in court yesterday for a brief hearing where it was determined that he will remain in custody until bond is set.
