Yahoo Sports ‘He could be my son.’ Coroner posts emotional video on Columbia SC teen shooting death
Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford says she is simply tired.
“I think I’m just like everybody else in the world — I’m just tired, I’m just tired of seeing our young black men killed,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford fought back tears as she spoke in a recent video she posted about the Sunday shooting death of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, 14 of Columbia. Rick Chow, 58-year-old owner of the Shell gas station at 7441 Parklane Road, has been charged with murder after allegedly chasing Carmack-Belton from his store and shooting him once in the back.
@notbadfor50 #Sheriff #LeonLott and #Coroner #NaidaRutherford held a press conference May 29, to share further information about a shooting incident in which 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton was killed. #RickChow has been arrested and charged with his murder. Rick Chow, the owner of a #Shell gas station, near Parklane Road & Springtree Drive, has been arrested and charged with murder after Richland County deputies say he shot and killed 14 year old #CyrusCarmackBelton last night. Sheriff Leon Lott said the 14 year old was suspected of shoplifting but did NOT steal anything. After a verbal confrontation Cyrus ran out of the store, the son of the store owner chased him … then the owner of the store followed. At some point Cyrus fell down (by this time they were off the convenience store property) and when he got up to run again, the owner shot him in the back. Again, all of this according to RCSD investigators & RCO Coroner Naida Rutherford. Prayers & Justice for the family of #CyrusBelton ♬ original sound - Traci Fant
“I’m gonna tell ya’ll, I have a son who is that age … he could be my son,” Rutherford said with tears in her eyes. “Do you guys understand that? He could be any of our kids.”
During a Monday press conference, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said that that while the store owner suspected Carmack-Belton of shoplifting, there was no evidence that he stole anything.
“He went into the store to get drinks, he was visiting a family member, it could have been your child, it could have been your loved one who walked in and didn’t come home,” Rutherford said. “It makes me emotional, it makes me angry, it makes me upset.”
A peaceful crowd of about 70 people gathered in the parking lot of the Shell gas station on Monday. However, later that evening, a crowd was dispersed from the store after the protests turned destructive, according to the sheriff’s office. Windows were found shattered and a large crowd of people were seen stealing merchandise from the store, the department reported.
Rutherford said she understood that people were upset, but that was no excuse for violence and theft.
“Please, I am begging you, do not create more trauma for this family,” Rutherford said. “In every group there is an agitator, always somebody who wants to take a, you know, more violent approach to things. Tearing up the store, tearing up the property, being violent in the protest is not going to help us get justice for Cyrus.”
