Store owner charged in Columbia teen’s death previously shot at two others, deputies say

The gas station owner who shot and killed a 14-year-old Sunday had previously shot at two people he believed were stealing from his store, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Rick Chow, 58, is accused of fatally shooting Cyrus Carmack-Belton of Columbia in the back after an argument between the two inside Chow’s Parklane Road store Sunday night, according to Richland County officials. Charged with murder, Chow is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

On Wednesday, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department released information about other incidents at the store in recent years, including the two previous shootings. The department didn’t provide many details about the incidents, but officials noted they are working to provide incident reports to The State and other media who have requested the records under state open records laws.

In 2015, Chow fired six shots into the side of a vehicle after attempting to stop someone from stealing, according to information shared by the sheriff’s department on Facebook Wednesday evening. The person had threatened to shoot Chow. No one was injured in that shooting.

In 2018, Chow fired two shots at a person the sheriff’s department called a shoplifter, and struck the person in the leg. That person was treated at a hospital for the gunshot wound and later pleaded guilty to “charges stemming from this incident,” according to the department, which did not indicate if the shoplifter had a weapon.

“Mr. Chow’s conduct in the above incidents did not meet the requirements under South Carolina law to support criminal charges,” the department’s statement adds.

Overall, the sheriff’s department reported it has been called hundreds of times to the store for incidents ranging from shoplifting and vandalism to assault, robbery and motor vehicle theft, according to the department.

Richland County’s community crime map shows half a dozen vehicle thefts and numerous aggravated assaults have been reported in the area near the store just in 2023.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Agency declined to say whether Chow is licensed to open carry a weapon in the state, citing a state statute that prevents the information from being shared publicly.

Chow has owned the store at 7441 Parklane Road since at least 2012, when his LLC Grene Investments SP purchased the property from Sam’s Mart, according to county property records.

Beyond numerous traffic violations, Chow had not previously been charged with any crimes in Richland County, according to court records.

Chow is now at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

Carmack-Belton was shot after he entered Chow’s convenience store around 8 p.m. Sunday and was wrongly accused by the owners of shoplifting, Lott said.

“We have no evidence that he stole anything, whatsoever,” Lott has said.

The sheriff said the teen at one point removed four water bottles from a cooler but put them back. An argument started inside the store, the sheriff said, and the 14-year-old took off running from the store.

Chow, armed with a pistol, and his son chased after the teen, Lott said. They ran 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 the teen in the back, Lott said.

“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. “You just don’t do that.”

Richland County Coroner Naida 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.

On Monday night, Chow’s store at 7441 Parklane Road was vandalized. Windows were broken, the name Cyrus was spray-painted on the walls of the building and items were stolen from the store.

On Tuesday, Chow appeared before a magistrate inside the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where he is being held on the murder charge. Bond will be set at a later date by a circuit court judge. Chow was represented at the hearing by Columbia attorney James Snell. Both Chow and his lawyer declined to speak at the magistrate’s hearing.

Columbia attorney Todd Rutherford’s firm is representing the victim’s family. A representative from Rutherford’s firm, as well as members of Carmack-Belton’s family, also declined to speak at Tuesday’s hearing.

Funeral arrangements have been set for Carmack-Belton. Leevy’s Funeral Home announced a viewing at their Taylor Street location on Friday, June 2, from 3-6 p.m. Carmack-Belton’s funeral will be at Second Nazareth Baptist Church on Elmwood Avenue on Saturday, June 3, at noon.