The South Carolina gas station owner was charged with the murder of an armed 14-year-old boy whom he shot in the back after falsely accusing him of shoplifting, before firing at two other thieves in his beleaguered store.
Rick Chow, 58, is in custody for the murder of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, an armed 14-year-old whom he chased from his store in Columbia, South Carolina, on May 28.
Chow and his adult son thought Cyrus stole bottled water. Police say surveillance footage proves he didn’t.
Rick Chow, 58, is in custody for the murder of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a teenager he suspected of shoplifting and shot in the back. He has previously shot at two others he suspects of theft
Police reports obtained by DailyMail.com detail how Chow escaped charges in the two other incidents because he acted in self-defense
In 2018, Chow shot 23-year-old Alex Aguilera after he attempted to steal a can of Easy Off cleaning spray. Aguilera was later charged and pleaded guilty to theft
The store owner and his son chased him out and when they realized he had a gun, Chow fired a single shot into his right lower back.
Chow – whose criminal record is clean save for some speeding tickets – is in custody awaiting a hearing.
Police say that because Cyrus never drew his gun or pointed it at them, they can’t argue in self-defense.
Sheriff Leon Lott told DailyMail.com earlier this week that Chow admitted to deputies that the boy never drew his gun.
Now it can be revealed that Chow has asked Richland County Sheriff’s deputies for help “hundreds” of times over the past five years.
The calls ranged from reports of shoplifting to theft, assault, motor vehicle theft, vandalism, robbery and burglary.
Sunday’s incident isn’t the first time he’s fired his gun.
The Xpress Mart Shell gas station in Columbia, South Carolina is now boarded up with protest signs calling for ‘Justice for Cyrus’ outside
Tribute to the 14-year-old boy who was killed on Sunday as he ran away from the shop owner
This is how the shooting went on Sunday. It remains unclear why Cyrus had a gun, or how he got it
In 2015, a female customer, Chow, attempted to steal two boxes of Bud Light and a pack of peanuts from the store.
Cyrus Carmack-Belton, 14, died Sunday after being shot in the back
Chow confronted her in the parking lot and the pair got into an argument.
Police reports obtained by DailyMail.com describe how she shouted “I’m going to shoot you b***h” before getting into a waiting car with a male friend.
Chow, whose glasses were broken in the fight, took out his gun and fired six shots at their car. No one was injured and Chow was not charged.
In 2018, he shot 23-year-old Alex Aguilera after attempting to steal a can of Easy Off off the shelf.
Chow followed him out of the store and demanded he pay for it.
The man then punched him in the face. Chow drew his weapon and fired two shots, shooting the man in the leg.
The gas station was looted and vandalized after Cyrus’s death on Sunday. The police are now urging calm
Aguilera was taken into custody after treatment at the hospital. He later pleaded guilty to charges related to the incident.
Chow was never charged in any of the incidents because sheriffs ruled he acted in self-defense.
However, they are convinced that he killed Cyrus.
‘[The store] has often fallen victim to shoplifting.
“The owner has dealt with shoplifters in the past and there have been physical fights in the past.
“He’s been attacked in the past and he’s shot someone who attacked him, but in that case it was self-defense.
‘In the other incidents, the use of force is justified.
“Not this time,” Sheriff Leon Lott told DailyMail.com earlier this week.