Gas station owner who shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton previously shot another customer in self-defense

The gas station owner charged with murdering a 14-year-old boy who he shot in the back on Sunday after accusing him of shoplifting  previously shot another customer in his store but was never charged because it was deemed an act of self-defense. 

Rick Chow, 58, is in being held in custody for the murder of Cyrus Carmack-Belton. 

Cyrus entered his Shell gas station in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sunday to buy drinks but cops say Chow and his adult son wrongly accused him of shoplifting and then chased him out of the store and down an adjacent street. 

Cyrus was armed with a weapon but, according to police, never pointed it at either Chow or his son. 

In an interview with DailyMail.com, Sheriff Leon Lott, who is leading the case, said Chow admitted in his initial interviews that Cyrus never pointed the gun at him or threatened him. 

Rick Chow is being held in custody on a murder charge for shooting dead Cyrus Carmack-Belton. Chow previously shot another customer in his Shell gas station but he was never charged 

DailyMail.com can also reveal that Chow - who has been the victim of assault and vandalism in the store - also previously shot another customer. 

It's unclear what the details of that case are, but he was never arrested because it was deemed to be an act of self-defense. 

He has also been involved in violent fights in the store, but didn't face charges in those cases either. 

'[The store] has been victimized quite often with shoplifting. The owner has confronted shoplifters in the past and there have been physical altercations in the past. 

'He has been assaulted in the past, and he has shot someone who attacked him but in that case it was self defense. 

'In the other incidents, the use of force has been justified. This time, it was not,' Sheriff Lott said. 

According to the sheriff, Chow admitted in his statements that the boy never threatened him or pulled his gun on him. 

'The young man was running away – he didn’t point the weapon at him at any point, he didn’t threaten him. To use deadly force your life has to be in immediate danger. If he’d have pulled the gun on them then yes, but he didn’t.

'We are basing this on witnesses that were present and statements made by the man that we arrested’.

‘He has admitted [that the teenager didn’t draw the weapon.] He gave us statements that night – what had occurred, but after that he requested a lawyer.’

This is how the shooting unfolded on Sunday night at around 8pm in Columbia, South Carolina 

The Shell gas station in Columbia where the incident took place on Sunday night. It has now been vandalized  

Protesters trashed inside the store, knocking over displays and pouring waters on the ground

The gas station was trashed on Monday night as the community learned of Cyrus' death 

Protesters descended on the store to spray it with graffiti and leave trash in the parking lot 

Chow is being held in custody pending bail. He is shown in court yesterday 

Chow remains in custody pending a bail hearing. He has not yet made any public remarks about the case. 

Before Sunday, his record only contained traffic violations.  

Cyrus' family have not commented publicly either, but his mother is said to be 'devastated'. 

Sheriff Lott's office is investigating why Cyrus was carrying a handgun, and how he obtained it. 

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told DailyMail.com: 'In the other incidents, the use of force has been justified. This time, it was not

'It was illegal for him to have the gun but again him being shot in the back isn’t justified by that.

We are tracing to find out the origin of the gun came from. He is local. 

'I don’t know one way or the other [if they knew each other].' 

The shooting sparked fury in the local community, with a handful of protesters descending on the gas station to loot inventory and smash windows. 

The victim's family is appalled by it, according to the sheriff. 

'‘Rioting is not acceptable. Damaging property is not acceptable it distracts form what the issue is, that’s the issue. 

'When you hijack a peaceful protest ands turn it into something that’s criminal acts it doesn’t do anybody any good, those that vandalized and stole, they are criminals. 

'It’s not what the family wants either.’ 

In an interview with DailyMail.com, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Cyrus' grieving family, who have not yet spoken publicly about his death, were in shock.

'If you just lost your 14-year-old son, you'd be as upset as you'd expect them to be right now,' she said. 

Rutherford posted an emotional Instagram video on Monday as Chow was charged, choking back tears as she described how Cyrus could have been 'any of our son's'. 

She defended taking such a strong position on the case amid online criticism. 

'I am not a robot. I may deal with death every day, but most people would have a reaction to a child dying. 

'It's not about being impartial... there is no wrong or right way to do that.'

In an interview with DailyMail.com, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Cyrus' grieving family, who have not yet spoken publicly about his death, were in shock. She defended becoming emotional about the case amid online scrutiny, saying: 'I am not a robot'