Shawn Kemp, a retired six-time NBA All-Star, was arrested in Washington state on felony drive-by shooting, jail records show.
Kemp, who played eight of his 14 seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, was booked into a pierce county jail just before 6 p.m. local time Wednesday, hours after police said they responded to a report of gunshots at the Tacoma Mall in Tacoma, Washington.
“Officers who responded determined that an altercation had occurred between two parties in vehicles,” the Tacoma Police Department said. “One of the drivers fired several bullets at the occupants of the other vehicle. The victim’s vehicle sped away.
No injuries were reported.
“Officers located the shooting suspect on Tacoma Mall property and took him into custody without incident,” police said. “A firearm was recovered from the scene.”
Kemp, 53, has not commented publicly, but Sources close to him say fired a weapon in self-defense, according to Tacoma news station KCPQ. Sources say Kemp tracked items stolen from his car to Tacoma and was shot by someone else before he opened fire.
Cell phone video released by the television outlet shows a man in a red vest raising his arms in what appears to be a shopping center parking lot.
The SuperSonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, selected Kemp in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft. Kemp also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic, averaging 14.6 points and 8 .4 rebounds per game in 14 NBA seasons.
Kemp, who retired in 2003, was previously arrested on drug charges in 2005 and 2006. He now runs a couple of cannabis dispensaries in the Seattle area.
