Former NBA star Shawn Kemp has pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in connection with a March 2023 shooting incident in a Washington state mall parking lot.
The plea, entered in Pierce County Superior Court, is part of an agreement that helps him avoid more severe charges and potential long-term imprisonment.
Initially charged with first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, prosecutors later added charges of drive-by shooting and another assault count.
Had the case gone to trial and Kemp been convicted, he could have faced a much longer sentence. However, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Howe has recommended a nine-month jail sentence, followed by one year of Department of Corrections supervision and restitution payments. Sentencing is scheduled for August.
The shooting stemmed from a series of events that began when Kemps vehicle was broken into on March 8, 2023, while he and employees from his cannabis dispensary attended a concert. Items stolen included business keys, sports memorabilia, and a cellphone.
Using a tracking app, Kemp located the missing phone and confronted a Toyota 4Runner seen circling a casino parking lot. Some of his items were returned, but the phone remained missing.
Later that day, Kemp tracked the phone to the Tacoma Mall, where he confronted the same vehicle. According to a defense brief, one of the men inside the 4Runner shot at Kemp, prompting him to return fire in what his legal team described as an effort to disable the Toyota.
Mr. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota. It did not work, the brief stated. No one was injured, though both vehicles sustained damage.
An abandoned 4Runner was later recovered with an empty holster inside, but no firearm. A witness reported to 911 that two individuals were shooting at each other.
Kemps attorney, Tim Leary, noted that the plea reflects both accountability and the complex nature of the case, 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.
Due to issues with the credibility of witnesses and the illegal possession of Kemps property by those involved, Howe explained the case was best resolved without a trial.
As part of his plea, Kemp must surrender any firearms and submit a DNA sample for law enforcement records.
