Former NBA star Shawn Kemp has broken his silence following his sentencing for a 2023 shooting outside the Tacoma Mall, where he admitted to firing shots at a car he believed contained items stolen from him.
In court, Kemp expressed remorse for his actions, telling the judge, “I accepted responsibility for what I did. I should have used better discretion.” Kemp explained that he tracked down the individuals because they had stolen property from him, and claimed he only fired after shots were aimed in his direction. His defense team argued he was acting in self-defense, while prosecutors maintained he approached the vehicle with intent to use his gun, endangering the public.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, the judge handed down a lenient sentence of one month of electronic home monitoring, a year of community custody (similar to probation), and 240 hours of community service. The court cited Kemp’s lack of criminal history and his claim of self-defense as factors, also noting that the two individuals he fired at are now in prison for unrelated crimes, including one who later shot someone after mistakenly thinking it was Kemp.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Kemp admitted he should have contacted law enforcement instead of taking matters into his own hands. “I’m frustrated with myself because I believe I could have made a better decision with the law. A simple phone call probably could have handled this,” he said. Kemp added that he hopes to turn his mistake into a teachable moment, planning to advocate for gun safety and share his story with the community. “Really, just think twice about your actions… think twice when you have these actions of getting mad and upset.”
Source: YouTube
