Teen fatally shot in back by S.C. store owner who wrongly accused him of shoplifting, sheriff says

[Jilly_in_VA]

A 14-year-old was fatally shot in the back Sunday by a South Carolina convenience store owner who wrongly accused him of shoplifting and chased him after a confrontation, authorities said.

Rick Chow, 58, was arrested Monday and charged with murder in the death of Cyrus Carmack-Belton.

“He did not shoplift anything," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told reporters at a news briefing Monday. "We have no evidence that he stole anything whatsoever."

The owner, armed with a pistol, and his son chased the teen toward a nearby apartment complex, Lott said, adding that Carmack-Belton fell at one point but got back up.

Chow’s son said Carmack-Belton had a gun, which is when the owner shot him in the back as he was running away, Lott said. Authorities later recovered a gun next to the teen’s body, but the sheriff said there was no evidence the teen ever pointed the weapon at Chow or his son.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/14-year-old-fatally-shot-back-sc-store-owner-sheriff-says-rcna86855

[onecaliberal]

1. Sadly this sick fuck with a gun couldn't wait to murder someone with it.

Waste of fucking oxygen will get food and a roof for the rest of his life, compliments of the American taxpayer.

[moniss]

2. We shouldn't assume a conviction

after all it is South Carolina.

[regnaD kciN]

5. The victim was Black and carried a gun...

…so any lethal force used against him was justified.

[RockRaven]

3. It wouldn't matter if he had shoplifted, b/c that isn't an excuse for chasing and killing anyone.

It might help if the sheriff said that part clearly and loudly too.

[sakabatou]

4. Glad he was charged was murder, because that's what it was

[maxsolomon]

6. This is going to be a shit show of a trial.

Race and guns, it's as American as it gets.

CCTV should clear up what happened in the store.