Former NBA player and six-time All-Star Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty to an assault charge after he shot two men inside a Washington state mall parking lot in 2023.
Kemp pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Pierce County Superior Court on Tuesday, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Kemp was initially charged with one count of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, but prosecutors amended the charges last week to add a second first-degree assault charge with a firearm enhancement, as well as drive-by shooting. Kemp could have served a lengthy prison sentence had he been convicted on the original charges.
With the guilty plea, prosecutors recommended Kemp be sentenced to nine months in jail, one year of community service and to pay restitution. He will be sentenced on Aug. 22, when both sides of the case will be able to argue for their preferred sentence, according to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Officials said the standard range for the offense with someone with no criminal history is three to nine months.
This was an “open” plea agreement, so both sides will be free to argue for their preferred sentence on Aug. 22. What Mr. Kemp pleaded guilty to is a felony and a strike offense.
‘Shawn is committed to moving forward in a positive direction,’ Kemp’s attorney Tim Leary told The Seattle Times. ‘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.’
The incident occurred on March 8, 2023 when Kemp said his car was broken into, and several items such as his phone and memorabilia from his basketball career were stolen, according to court documents. Kemp was able to track his phone to a Toyota 4Runner and tried to talk to the driver about his missing phone. Later, he tracked his phone to the Tacoma Mall, where he saw the same 4Runner as before, the defense stated.
Court documents said a man in the back seat of the 4Runner fired a gun at Kemp, who then fired back at the vehicle. The two occupants of the 4Runner were not injured but the vehicle was as it fled.
Kemp was arrested in connection to the incident and was released a day later. The two men, ages 39 and 35, in the 4Runner are currently serving prison sentences due to other cases.
A first-round selection in the 1989 NBA Draft, Kemp became a star for the Seattle SuperSonics, playing eight seasons with the team while forming an on-court combo with Gary Payton. He also had stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic during the course of his 14 seasons in the league.