South Carolina

A South Carolina jury acquitted Chikei Rick Chow of murder in the 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, accepting a defense claim that he fired to protect his son from a perceived threat. The teenager was shot in the back following a 130-yard chase over a false accusation of stealing a 98-cent bottle of water. The verdict has reignited debates over the failure of standard retail safety protocols and the legal justifications used to excuse the fatal pursuit of a minor.