Columbia store owned by man charged with murdering teen vandalized, sheriff says

The Columbia store owned by a man who has been charged with murdering a 14-year-old was vandalized Monday night, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

On Monday afternoon, a peaceful crowd of about 70 people had gathered in the parking lot of the Shell gas station/convenience store on Parklane Road.

But later Monday night, the sheriff’s department said a crowd was dispersed from the business after protests turned destructive.

At about 9:30 p.m., deputies said they responded to an alarm that signaled there was a break-in at the convenience store. When they arrived at the scene, deputies found shattered windows and a large crowd of people inside the store stealing merchandise, according to the sheriff’s department.

“This type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said in a news release. “Individuals involved will be identified and prosecuted.”

No arrests have been reported, but the sheriff’s department said the investigation is ongoing.

The Shell station was where the incident that led to the teenager’s “senseless” death began, Lott said.

Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a 14-year-old Columbia resident, died from a single gunshot wound, after he was shot in the back, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said.

According to the sheriff, the incident happened at about 8 p.m. Sunday. Carmack-Belton went in the store, and the owners suspected him of shoplifting. However, Lott said the 14-year-old did not shoplift.

An argument started inside the store, the sheriff said, and the 14-year-old took off running from the store. Rick Chow, the 58-year-old owner of the Shell station, and his son chased after the teen, Lott said. Chow was armed with a pistol, per the sheriff. The chase was toward the nearby Springtree Apartments off Springtree Drive.

Lott said that, during the chase, Carmack-Belton fell down and got back up. At that point, Chow shot Carmack-Belton in the back, Lott said.

Lott said Carmack-Belton was thought to have been in possession of a gun during the incident. One was recovered near the teen’s body, Lott said.

Lott told The State Monday afternoon that an investigation found that Carmack-Belton did not point a gun at Chow.

“Even if (Carmack-Belton) had shoplifted four bottles of water, which is what he initially took out of the cooler and then he put them back, even if he had done that, that’s not something you shoot anybody over, much less a 14-year-old,” Lott said at a Monday afternoon news conference. “You just don’t do that.”

Rutherford said Carmack-Belton died from a single gunshot wound to his right lower back. She said the gunshot wound caused hemorrhaging, as well as significant damage to the teen’s heart.

The coroner said the teen’s injuries are consistent with someone who was running away from his assailants.

Chow was charged with murder, and is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, jail records show. As of Tuesday morning, no bond has been set, according to jail records.