COLUMBIA, S.C. - The mother of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton spoke during a memorial gathering days after a jury found former Shell gas station owner Rick Chow not guilty in her son’s 2023 shooting death.
“Every day I will not be able to speak to my son, hear his voice change, see him grow,” Nicole Carmack said.
The verdict has sparked a strong reaction across the community. The loss of Cyrus Carmack-Belton remains a painful reality not just for his family but for the community. A not guilty verdict in his murder case has intensified that hurt.
“My murderer of my son was set free, and it’s not fair, and it’s unjust,” Nicole said.
The case stems from a 2023 shooting death where former gas station owner Rick Chow and his son chased Carmack-Belton out of their store, falsely accusing him of stealing a water bottle.
130 yards later, Chow shot Carmack-Belton in the back.
Chow’s defense team won on a self-defense argument, saying Carmack-Belton, who also had a gun, pointed it at Chow’s son.
Community leaders and civil rights advocates are also questioning the role of race in the case.
“The death of Cyrus-Belton demands that we ask another painful question. Did his life matter less because of the color of his skin?” said Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, national vice president of religious affairs for the National Action Network.
The family will pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against Chow.
“I don’t want this to happen to any other child,” Nicole said.
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