Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was arrested in Washington in connection with a drive-by shooting that occurred near the Tacoma Mall. The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon, and Tacoma police reported that there was an altercation between occupants of two vehicles that led to shots being fired. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and one of the cars fled the scene. A gun was recovered, and an investigation is underway.
Kemp is the Suspect
According to FOX 13 News, multiple sources confirmed that Kemp, a six-time NBA All-Star, is the suspect in the case. Kemp, who is 53 years old, was booked on a felony drive-by-shooting charge at 5:58 p.m. local time, approximately four hours after the incident occurred. The former NBA player was booked in a Pierce County jail and is currently being held in connection with the drive-by shooting.
This is not the first time Kemp has had a run-in with the law. In 2006, he was arrested for drug possession and sentenced to probation. In 2008, he was arrested again, this time for drug possession and driving under the influence. In 2013, Kemp was arrested for a DUI charge.
Kemp’s Basketball Career
Kemp was a first-round draft pick in the 1989 NBA draft and played 625 games with the Seattle SuperSonics from 1989 to 1997. He helped the Sonics reach the NBA Finals in 1996.
Since his retirement from professional basketball, Kemp has pursued multiple local business opportunities banking on his Sonics career. Along with his business partners, he operates two locations in Seattle of Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis.
The Belltown location is the first black-owned marijuana dispensary in Seattle. Kemp was also the owner of Oskar’s Kitchen, a sports bar in Lower Queen Anne that closed in 2015.
It is unclear what led to the altercation between the occupants of the two vehicles that resulted in the drive-by shooting, but the Tacoma police department has stated that they are continuing their investigation. At this time, there is no further information available on the incident or on Kemp’s arrest.
Kemp’s Recent Arrest for a DUI Charge
In May 2020, Kemp was arrested in King County for DUI. The former NBA player reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .10, which is above the legal limit of .08. Kemp pleaded not guilty to the charge and is currently awaiting trial.
Shawn Kemp, a former NBA star, was arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting in Washington. Kemp has had multiple run-ins with the law in the past, including drug possession, driving under the influence, and a DUI charge. The Tacoma police department is continuing its investigation into the altercation that led to the drive-by shooting.
