The acquittal of former convenience store owner Chikei Rick Chow in the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton has reignited painful divisions in South Carolina, with community leaders warning against racial backlash after calls emerged on social media urging people to boycott Asian-owned businesses.
A jury in Columbia found Rick Chow, 61, not guilty of murder over the 2023 death of Carmack-Belton, a Black teenager who was shot during a chase that began outside Chow's convenience store. The verdict has left the victim's family devastated and prompted renewed demonstrations demanding justice.
