Former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp was sentenced Friday to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for his involvement in a 2023 shooting outside a Washington state mall.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Michael Schwartz ruled that Kemp’s circumstances warranted a lighter punishment than prosecutors had recommended. Instead of nine months in jail, Kemp will serve one year of state Department of Corrections supervision and complete 240 hours of community service in addition to the home monitoring, The Seattle Times reported.
Kemp, who played eight seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, pleaded guilty to an assault charge in May as part of a plea agreement. No one was injured in the incident.
Kemp used a phone-tracking app to locate his stolen cellphone, which was inside a Toyota 4Runner that had reportedly been involved in stealing his truck, phone, and memorabilia in Seattle, according to court documents. Kemp later found the same vehicle outside the Tacoma Mall.
The trial brief stated, “The man in the back seat fired off a round from a handgun at Mr. Kemp. Mr. Kemp returned fire and attempted to disable the Toyota. It did not work.” The 4Runner fled the scene, and when it was later recovered, police found an empty holster inside but no firearm.
During sentencing, Kemp was visibly emotional, blowing out a deep breath and making the sign of the cross multiple times when his sentence was announced. He reflected on the past three years, speaking after the hearing.
“The last three years have been tough,” Kemp said. He added that he now plans to use his experience to speak out against gun violence.
“Think twice. Think twice when you get mad. Think twice when you get a little upset.”
Roughly 30 people attended the hearing, including his pastor and former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. Several supporters also submitted letters on Kemp’s behalf.
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