America is in turmoil over the shooting of a black teenager through the heart.

The Richland County Sheriff's Office said the convenience store owner was 58-year-old Rick Chow. The boy, Cyrus Carmack-Belton, entered the store around 8 p.m. on May 28 (local time).

Suspecting that the boy had stolen four bottles of mineral water, Mr. Chow and his son chased Cyrus to a nearby apartment complex. Cyrus fell but got up and continued running.

Sheriff Leon Lott said when his son and Mr. Chow saw Cyrus had a gun, the store owner shot the teenager in the back, killing him.

The Daily Mail quoted information from investigators saying that a bullet went through the boy's back and straight into his heart, killing the black teenager.

Cyrus Carmack-Belton, 14 years old. Photo: Daily Mail

Speaking at a press conference, Sheriff Leon Lott said there was no evidence that Cyrus had committed any theft. The sheriff insisted the shooting was unprovoked and disturbing.

"We have no evidence that the teenager stole anything," Sheriff Leon Lott told CNN . Even if something was stolen, "that's not an excuse to shoot anyone," the sheriff said.

Police have not yet explained why Cyrus had the pistol or where he got it. However, police say there is no evidence that Cyrus pointed the gun at the store owner or his son.

There was also no indication that Cyrus "got into a fight with the store owner before running out of the store," according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.

Rick Chow, 58 years old, is the owner of a convenience store in Columbia City, South Carolina - USA. Photo: AP

The store was vandalized on the evening of May 30. Photo: New York Times

The store was looted on the evening of May 30. Photo: Daily Mail

The incident sparked outrage in Columbia, with dozens of people protesting for justice outside Mr. Chow’s store on May 30. That night, the store was vandalized and looted, with the exterior spray-painted and windows broken, despite the police chief’s call for peaceful protests. Among the images showing the store’s wall was graffiti that read “RIP King Cyrus” and the boy’s age (14).

Cyrus' father, Troy Belton, said his son was a loving person.

CNN reported that Mr. Chow was denied bail and his first hearing was scheduled for June 23.

According to The New York Times , the incident raises questions about gun use and racism. Guns are the leading cause of death for children in the United States, surpassing car accidents in 2020 and accounting for nearly 19% of child deaths in 2021, according to a database from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/my-day-song-vi-thieu-nien-da-mau-bi-ban-xuyen-tim-20230601161220589.htm