Former Seattle SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp will avoid prison in connection with a 2023 shooting outside the Tacoma Mall.
Kemp, 55, was sentenced to 30 days of home confinement in Pierce County Court on Friday, Aug. 22. He must also complete one year of supervised release and 240 hours of community service.
Before sentencing, Kemp told the judge he was “very apologetic” for his behavior.
Friday’s sentencing came after prosecutors pushed for a nine-month jail sentence. Kemp’s attorneys argued he should serve no additional time.
Among those present in court to support Kemp was former NFL star Marshawn Lynch.
The case stemmed from a March 2023 incident in a Tacoma shopping center parking lot, where Kemp was accused of firing at two men he believed had stolen items from him, including a phone.
Kemp initially pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense, but in May of this year he entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of second-degree assault.
The Pierce County Superior Court judge admonished Kemp during sentencing, stressing that the confrontation should never have happened.
“I cannot state strongly enough this could have been easily avoided by simply walking away,” the judge said. “Property is replaceable, human life is not.”
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