Convenience Store Owner Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit in South Carolina

On June 2nd, 2026, a convenience store owner was found not guilty of murder by a Richland County Courthouse. Days later, the family of the victim decided to sue the individual for wrongful death in South Carolina. What if your family member was shot by a convenience store owner? Can you also file a wrongful death lawsuit?

Civil Jury May Find That Convenience Store Shooting Was Unjustified

Newsweek reports that although the convenience store owner was acquitted of murder charges, a civil jury could come to a different conclusion, finding that his decision to shoot a 14-year-old in the back was unjustified. The pending civil lawsuit revolves around an incident that occurred in 2023.

The convenience store owner says that he decided to confront the teen after noticing that he had stolen water bottles. He chased the teen out of the store premises and shot him a single time in the back. Prosecutors pointed out that the teen was in the process of fleeing and could not have posed any threat to the store owner. Defense lawyers argued that the convenience store owner believed that the teen was armed, and that he was attempting to protect his son.

Can I Sue for Wrongful Death Even if the Defendant Was Acquitted?

You can attempt to file a wrongful death lawsuit even after the defendant is acquitted by a criminal court. This is because the burden of proof in a criminal case is much higher than that of a civil case. In a criminal case, prosecutors must establish guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Although there is some debate over exactly what this means, most agree that it represents an incredibly high threshold of perhaps 90 percent (some would even say 99 percent).

On the other hand, the family members of a deceased victim only need to establish a “preponderance of evidence” when establishing negligence in a wrongful death lawsuit. This equates to a much lower likelihood of over 50 percent. In other words, you can still establish liability even if there is insufficient evidence to establish guilt.

For many families, this may represent the final opportunity to achieve a sense of justice and closure after losing loved ones to unjustified shootings. The criminal court often fails to ensure penalties, but the civil court is generally less forgiving. Although a successful wrongful death lawsuit doesn’t put the defendant behind bars, it ensures serious financial penalties. You can use this compensation to cover funeral costs, lost future wages, and other damages.

Can a Wrongful Death Lawyer in South Carolina Help Me?

If your loved one was shot by a store owner, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit in South Carolina. Even if the alleged shooter was found not guilty of murder in a criminal court, positive results in a civil court may be possible. Continue this dialogue by contacting our South Carolina wrongful death lawyers at Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC at (843) 804-0428 today.

Sources:

newsweek.com/rick-chow-shooting-black-teenager-south-carolina-civil-12023368

thestate.com/news/local/crime/article315962637.html