Seattle Supersonics legend Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty this week to second-degree assault, over two years after he tracked his stolen iPhone to a burglar’s vehicle in the Tacoma Mall parking lot in Washington and fired several shots in retaliation.
The incident, previously reported by OutKick, unfolded when Kemp confronted the alleged thief in the parking lot.
READ: Shawn Kemp Charged With First-Degree Assault After Shooting Incident
Kemp was initially hit with a first-degree assault charge. He appeared on the scene after tracking down his stolen phone and shot at the Toyota 4Runner three times. None of Kemp’s shots connected as the 4Runner drove off the lot, but one of his shots did hit a nearby vehicle that belonged to a mall employee. No one was injured at the scene.
SEATTLE – Former NBA player, Shawn Kemp is seen on the field prior to a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field on October 27, 2024. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
Video footage shows Kemp approaching the vehicle with a drawn gun. In his defense, Kemp’s attorney argued that the former NBA player acted in self-defense to retrieve his stolen cell phone.
As reported by the AP, Kemp sent messages before he arrived on the scene that showed Kemp was ready to start firing upon arrival, contrary to his self-defense claims. “I’m about to shoot this [expletive],” one of the messages read.
Police arrived swiftly, arrested Kemp, and recovered the gun he reportedly discarded in a nearby bush. According to the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office, Kemp now faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.
SACRAMENTO – Shawn Kemp #40 of the Seattle SuperSonics look on circa 1996 at Arco Arena. (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
As previously reported on OutKick, Kemp has been arrested several times since retiring from the NBA. On April 4, 2005, Kemp was arrested in Shoreline, Washington, due to carrying roughly 60 grams of weed, a small bit of cocaine and a gun. In 2006, Kemp was arrested in Houston, Texas, for misdemeanor marijuana possession.
“The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office presented him with an offer that allowed him to take responsibility, but also recognized the self-defense aspects of how this incident transpired,” the Office’s statement reads, in part.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 22.
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