Former Seattle SuperSonics legend Shawn Kemp was sentenced Friday to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for second-degree assault stemming from a 2023 shooting outside Tacoma Mall.
Kemp, 55, pleaded guilty in May to firing at two men inside a Toyota 4Runner during the incident. While no one was injured, bullets struck the 4Runner and another vehicle. Kemp has maintained he acted in self-defense after tracking his stolen cellphone to the mall and confronting the men, whom he accused of stealing his truck, phone, and memorabilia, News.Az reports, citing foreign media..
Judge Michael Schwartz ruled that the circumstances warranted an “exceptional” downward departure from sentencing guidelines, sparing Kemp a potential jail term of up to nine months. In addition to home monitoring, Kemp must serve one year of community custody and complete 240 hours of community service.
“Property is replaceable,” Schwartz said during sentencing. “Human life is not.”
Prosecutors had pushed for jail time, arguing there was no evidence Kemp was under fire when he returned shots, and noting that he discarded his gun in nearby bushes before police arrived.
Before sentencing, Kemp apologized in court: “I’m very apologetic for what I did… I could have and should have conducted myself differently that afternoon.”
The case drew strong community attention. Dozens of supporters attended the hearing, including former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. Kemp’s daughter and local leaders submitted letters highlighting his charitable work and urging leniency.
Kemp, a six-time NBA All-Star, was one of Seattle’s most celebrated athletes in the 1990s. Since retiring in 2003, he has remained active in the community, opening two cannabis dispensaries in Seattle. After the hearing, he said he intends to advocate against gun violence: “Think twice when you get mad. Think twice when you get a little upset.”
One of the men involved in the confrontation is currently serving time in prison and has filed a civil lawsuit against Kemp, claiming emotional and physical damages.
