Rick Chow dialed non-emergency number after gunning down SC teen, son testifies
Moments after Rick Chow shot and killed a teenager who was falsely suspected of stealing $4 worth of water — the store owner dialed a non-emergency number for help, according to testimony during an immunity hearing Monday.
Chow shot 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton around 8 p.m. the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend of 2023. The store owner at the time believe Carmack-Belton was stealing four bottles of water. He was charged with murder, and is now arguing he should be immune from prosecution. An immunity hearing before Circuit Judge Scott Sprouse began Monday.
When asked by attorney Luke Shealey why his father dialed the Richland County non-emergency number as opposed to 911, Andy Chow said it was a number his father had on speed dial.
Here’s the story of what happened that Sunday night that, did store owner stand his ground?
Prior to walking out of the Shell station Alice asked if Carmack-Belton “needed help” after she told prosecutors she suspected the 14-year-old had removed bottles of water from a cooler inside the store.
She testified she never saw the teen steal anything.
Video from the store shows Andy and Rick Chow chasing Carmack-Belton, with Alice Chow in tow, as the teen left the store.
As Carmack-Belton was running from Andy and Rick Chow, he lost a shoe and two cell phones, which Alice Chow picked up and returned to the store.
For 130 yards, Rick and Andy Chow chased Carmack-Belton, before Andy Chow said the teen feel and then pointed a gun “with a silver barrel” at him.
Andy shouts to his dad, ”he has a gun! I see my dad, stop and un-holster his gun and yells, ‘drop it, drop it’ and fires a single shot.”
Andy Chow demonstrated before Shealey how he reacted when presented with a gun by Carmack-Belton.
Prosecutors say there was no reason for the Chows to chase the teen, considering that they had a clear photo of his face from surveillance cameras, had a full description, an item of his clothing (the shoe), and witnessed which direction the boy was running in.
What’s next in the ‘Stand Your Ground’ hearing
Rick Chow is expected to give his side of the story Tuesday in a hearing that’s expected to run two more days, according to attorneys.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Sprouse will either determine that Chow acted in self-defense and is immune under the Protective Persons and Property Act or that he’s not.
If immune, Rick Chow will evade a trial for the murder charge, which is slated to begin next May.
