South Carolina jury finds store owner not guilty of murder in killing of Black teen

A South Carolina jury found store owner Chikei Rick Chow not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton. The verdict followed a trial where Chow claimed self-defense, asserting the teen pointed a gun at his son, while prosecutors argued the teen posed no threat. Carmack-Belton’s family and community expressed distress over the outcome.