Shawn Kemp Sentenced for Mall Incident
TACOMA, Wash. – Former NBA star Shawn Kemp received a 30-day sentence of home electronic monitoring following an incident in the parking lot of a shopping center in Washington state, where he fired shots at two men inside a vehicle. Kemp will have to begin his home monitoring in two weeks, in addition to completing one year of supervision by the state’s Department of Corrections and completing 240 hours of community service. The prosecution had requested a sentence of nine months in prison, one year of supervision, and the payment of restitution for the six-time All-Star. Judge Michael Schwartz, of the Pierce County Superior Court, considered that the circumstances of the crime justified a lesser sentence, which allowed Kemp to avoid incarceration. Upon hearing the sentence, Kemp looked at the ceiling and exhaled. Then, he repeatedly made the sign of the cross 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 claimed he acted in self-defense, returning fire after one of the men shot at him from inside a Toyota 4Runner vehicle. The defense argued that the two men provoked the shooting by robbing Kemp’s van, cell phone, and valuables in Seattle. The judge agreed. According to court documents, Kemp used a phone tracking application to locate and try to speak with the driver of the 4Runner, who was circling the parking lot of a casino. The men in the vehicle then got rid of some of Kemp’s belongings, but kept the phone. Later, Kemp realized his phone was near the Tacoma Mall. He went 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 round from a handgun 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 in an interview that “the last three years have been difficult.” He affirmed that 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 player Marshawn Lynch. Kemp debuted in the NBA in the 1989-90 season at 20 years old, without having played college basketball. He also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic, and was known for his spectacular dunks.Think twice. Think twice when you get angry. Think twice when you get a little upset.
Shawn Kemp
