Shawn Kemp Sentenced for Shooting at a Shopping Mall
TACOMA, Wash. – Former NBA star Shawn Kemp has been sentenced to 30 days of home electronic monitoring following an incident in which he fired shots at two men in the parking lot of a shopping center in Washington state. Kemp must begin his home monitoring within two weeks, in addition to completing one year of supervision by the state Department of Corrections and completing 240 hours of community service. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of nine months in prison, one year of supervision, and the payment of restitution. Judge Michael Schwartz of Pierce County Superior Court found that the circumstances of the crime justified a lesser sentence, which allowed Kemp to avoid jail. During the reading of the sentence, Kemp looked at the ceiling and sighed. Then, he made the sign of the cross repeatedly with his hand. In May, Kemp, who played for the Seattle SuperSonics from 1989 to 1997, pleaded guilty to one count of assault as part of a plea agreement. The shooting, which occurred in March 2023, left no injuries. Kemp argued that he acted in self-defense, returning fire after one of the men shot at him from inside a Toyota 4Runner vehicle. The defense also alleged that the two men provoked the shooting by stealing Kemp’s truck, his cell phone, and valuables in Seattle. The judge agreed. According to court documents, Kemp used a phone tracking application to locate and briefly attempt to speak with the driver of the 4Runner, who was circling the casino parking lot. Afterwards, the men in the vehicle got rid of some of Kemp’s belongings, but kept the phone. Later, Kemp discovered that his phone was near the Tacoma Mall. He headed there, located the same 4Runner and “expressed his understandable frustration” to the driver, according to the document. The man in the back seat “fired a shot with a pistol at Mr. Kemp. Mr. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota. It didn’t work,” according to the document. The 4Runner fled, and when the vehicle was found abandoned days later, an empty holster was found inside, but no weapon was found, according to court documents. After the hearing, Kemp stated that “the last three years have been difficult.” He said he plans to advocate against gun violence, especially among young people.Several people sent letters of support to the court on Kemp’s behalf. About 30 people attended the hearing, including his pastor and former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. Kemp debuted in the NBA during the 1989-90 season as a 20-year-old who never played college basketball. He also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Orlando Magic, and was known for his spectacular dunks.“Think twice,” he said. “Think twice when you get angry. Think twice when you get a little upset.”
Shawn Kemp
