Shawn Kemp sentenced after mall incident
Former NBA player Shawn Kemp has been sentenced to 30 days of home electronic monitoring following an incident at a Washington shopping mall, where he fired shots at two men inside a vehicle. Kemp must begin monitoring within two weeks. In addition, he must complete one year of supervision by the state Department of Corrections and complete 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 the Pierce County Superior Court, considered that the circumstances of the crime justified a lesser sentence, which allowed Kemp to avoid incarceration. Kemp, visibly affected, reacted to the sentence and subsequently made the sign of the cross. In May, Kemp pleaded guilty to one count of assault as part of a plea agreement. The incident, which took place 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 vehicle. The defense argued that the men provoked the shooting by robbing Kemp’s truck, his cell phone, and valuables in Seattle. The judge agreed with this version. According to court documents, Kemp tracked his phone using an application and located the vehicle in a casino parking lot. Subsequently, the vehicle was found near the Tacoma Mall. Kemp, upon seeing the vehicle, “expressed his understandable frustration” to the driver, according to the report. The man in the back seat “fired a shot with a pistol at Mr. Kemp. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota. It didn’t work.” The vehicle fled and, upon being found abandoned days later, an empty case was found inside, but the weapon was not found, according to court documents. After the hearing, Kemp stated that the last three years have been difficult and 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 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. Think twice when you get angry. Think twice when you get a little upset.
Shawn Kemp
