Former NBA star Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty to second-degree assault on Tuesday after he fired a gun in a Tacoma shopping mall parking lot in March 2023.
The Seattle Times reported the defense’s trial brief said he six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection shot at two men inside a Toyota 4Runner after they broke into his truck and stole numerous items including keys to his business, a cellphone, paperwork and sports memorabilia such as game-worn Gary Payton and Kemp jerseys that were part of a charity fundraiser.
The former Seattle SuperSonic followed the location of the stolen phone to track down the thief who was driving the 4Runner, which was also stolen.
The thief dumped most of the stolen items but took off with the cell phone “because he mistook it for a drug scale.” Kemp tracked the thief down again and, to his surprise, a second man was in the 4Runner and began firing a gun at Kemp.
“Mr. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota,” the brief said. “It did not work.”
The 4Runner and another vehicle were damaged but no one was injured.
The two men in the 4Runner, aged 39 and 35, have lengthy criminal histories and are currently serving prison sentences.
The 55-year-old Kemp was initially charged with a count of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, but prosecutors amended the charges last week and added a second first-degree assault charge, also with a firearm enhancement, as well as drive-by shooting.
“Shawn is committed to moving forward in a positive direction,” Kemp’s attorney Tim Leary said. “He was presented with an offer from the state that allows him to take responsibility, but I think also recognizes the self-defense nature of how this transpired.”
His guilty plea will disallow him from possessing a firearm and he is also being required to provide a biological sample for a law enforcement DNA database.
A sentencing for a second-degree assault in this case is typically three to nine months with a year of community custody.
The prosecution is standing by the loftier end of that sentence and is urging the judge to sentence Kemp to nine months in jail, one year in community custody and to pay restitution.
Kemp will be sentenced Aug. 22.
“[Kemp’s] plan is to tell the community about the dangers of gun violence, really to be a positive influence on youth,” another of Kemp’s attorneys, Aaron Kiviat, said.
Kemp played 14 NBA seasons, including eight in Seattle.
