Former Seattle SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp was charged with one felony count of first-degree assault in connection with a shooting outside of a mall last month in Tacoma, Washington. The 53-year-old was arrested hours after the incident on March 8. A Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson reportedly labeled the shooting as a drive-by, but prosecutors announced the next day that no immediate charges would be levied and released Kemp.
As of April 14, charges were filed with court documents that alleged Kemp “did with intent to inflict great bodily harm, intentionally assault another person with a firearm or deadly weapon or by any force or means likely to produce great bodily harm or death,” according to CNN.
First-degree assault is a Class A felony in Washington and could carry a life sentence if convicted.
His attorney says he plans to plead not guilty.
“He has been fully cooperative with the police and the prosecutor’s office throughout this process,” attorney Tim Leary said to CNN. “He is confident that once the jury hears from the witnesses and sees the evidence at trial, they will conclude that he was justified in defending himself that afternoon.”
March 8 Incident
According to Fox 13, sources close to Kemp told the news outlet that the he had items stolen out of his car and tracked it down to the Tacoma Mall using his iPhone. Kemp approached the vehicle and was shot at by someone inside. Then he returned fire in self-defense, he claims. No one was injured in the melee.
The chaotic scene was caught on camera by witnesses that allege they heard multiple gunshots and spotted Kemp drive around the mall’s parking lot before throwing the gun in the bushes. Police said that no one was hurt during the shooting incident.
New Details From Court Documents
According to CNN, a detective stated in a probable cause for the document “reported that the defendant’s account of the shooting at the Tacoma Mall included statements that were not corroborated by the surveillance video.”
“Kemp was adamant in his interview that he had retreated to his vehicle after he was shot at, and then shot back at (people in another vehicle). However, the video clearly showed Kemp getting the revolver out of the backpack as soon as he gets out of his Porsche,” the document states.
Also, court documents states that Kemp appears to exit from his Porsche and fires his weapon at a Toyota 4Runner that was parked a few spots away from him in the parking lot of the mall.
Kemp, a six-time All-Star, played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending eight with Seattle. He reportedly still lives in the Seattle area as a businessman.
He has an arraignment scheduled for May 4, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office.
