The jury has commenced deliberations in the trial of Chikei Rick Chow, a store owner charged with the murder of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in Columbia, South Carolina. The prosecution contends that Chow shot Carmack-Belton unprovoked, while the defense asserts that Chow acted in defense of his son, Andy, who allegedly had a gun pointed at him by the teen. Chow, who is Asian, shot Carmack-Belton in the back during a foot chase, believing the boy had stolen items from his store. Prosecutors highlighted that multiple witnesses did not see Carmack-Belton with a weapon during the incident and criticized Chow's decision to pursue the teen. They emphasized that surveillance footage would have shown no theft occurred. Defense attorney Shaun Kent argued that Chow's actions were a split-second decision to protect his son, pointing to Chow's attempt to perform CPR as evidence of his lack of malice. The case has stirred significant emotional responses within the local African American community, leading to protests and vigils in memory of Carmack-Belton.