COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Columbia area school is remembering Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a teen shot to death last weekend, as an "intelligent" and "humorous" student.
Summit Parkway Middle School issued a statement early Thursday morning about what type of student Carmack-Belton was and how he'll be remembered. The 14-year-old was shot and killed on Springtree Drive in Columbia around 8 p.m. last Sunday. A gas station owner has been charged with murder in the case, accused of running after Belton and shooting him in the back.
Carmack-Belton had been promoted out of eighth grade at Summit Parkway just a week before. The school said he was part of a magnet program at the STEM Institute of Design and Innovation.
"Cyrus Carmack-Belton...has been taken from us far too soon," the school wrote. "A light in The Nest will be missed among the faculty and staff, as well as his peers.
"He was intelligent, humorous with quick wit and well-liked by his classmates. We could always depend on Cyrus to ask questions beyond the scope of the topic as he often would seek to understand, rather than accept and move on. He often had conversations with members of the faculty & staff about his dreams, goals and aspirations. He dreamed of owning a tattoo shop and being famous one day. We all poured into him daily and we were pleased to see the results of his hard work when he was promoted to high school. We remember his infectious smile and tenacity.
"We were blessed to have Cyrus a part of The Nest and pleased to see some of the seeds that were planted grow and blossom. He will be remembered forever in our hearts. Soar high young Eagle, soar high."
Since Carmack-Belton's death, there's been an outpouring of sadness and outrage to his killing, which Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has called "senseless."
His funeral is set for Saturday, June 3 at Second Nazareth Baptist Church at 2300 Elmwood Avenue in Columbia. The service will begin at noon.