Shawn Kemp sentenced after shooting
Former NBA player Shawn Kemp has been sentenced to 30 days of home electronic monitoring after an incident in which he shot at two men in the parking lot of a shopping mall 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 requested a nine-month prison sentence, one year of supervision, and the payment of compensation. Judge Michael Schwartz, of Pierce County Superior Court, determined that the circumstances of the crime justified a lesser sentence, which allowed Kemp to avoid jail. Kemp reacted by looking at the ceiling and exhaling air when the sentence was announced. Subsequently, he repeatedly made the sign of the cross. The former Seattle SuperSonics player, who played for the team from 1989 to 1997, pleaded guilty to one count of assault in May as part of a plea agreement. In the March 2023 shooting, no one was injured. Kemp claimed to have acted in self-defense, returning fire after one of the men shot at him from inside his Toyota 4Runner vehicle. The defense argued that the two men Kemp shot provoked the incident by stealing his truck, his cell phone, and valuables in Seattle. The judge agreed. According to the trial report, Kemp used a phone tracking application to locate and briefly attempt to speak with the driver of the 4Runner, who was circling a casino parking lot. The men in the vehicle then threw out some of Kemp’s belongings, but kept the phone, according to the report. Later, Kemp realized his phone was near the Tacoma Mall. He went there, spotted the same 4Runner, and “expressed his understandable frustration” to the driver, according to the report. The man in the back seat “fired a shot 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 the weapon was not found, according to court documents. After the hearing, Kemp stated in an interview that “the last three years have been difficult.” He added that he plans to become an advocate against gun violence, especially among young people.Several people sent letters of support to the court on Kemp’s behalf. Around 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 the age of 20, without having 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 feel a little upset.”
Shawn Kemp
