Prosecutors make big decision on Shawn Kemp after arrest

Jan 15, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Supersonics former guard Gary Payton and former forward Shawn Kemp react to a play during the the second half of a game in which their sons Oregon State Beavers guard Gary Payton II (1) and Washington Huskies forward Shawn Kemp, Jr. (40) play at Alaska Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

A decision has been made on former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp after his arrest this week over an alleged shooting incident.

Adam Faber, spokesperson for the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office in Washington, said in an emailed statement to ESPN on Thursday that no charges are immediately being filed against Kemp. The 53-year-old Kemp has also been released from jail pending further investigation.

Kemp was arrested Wednesday after an alleged altercation involving a gun. He was formally booked into Pierce County Jail on one count of drive-by shooting, a Class B felony in the state of Washington.

In a statement, Kemp’s attorney W. Scott Boatman disputed that a drive-by shooting had occurred. Boatman said that Kemp’s vehicle had been broken into and that Kemp’s iPhone was one of the items that was stolen. Kemp then tracked down the iPhone to an occupied car in a Tacoma parking lot and was shot at after approaching the vehicle, Boatman says. As a result, Boatman adds, Kemp returned fire in self-defense. Boatman further said that Kemp’s actions were “reasonable and legally justified.”

Here is the full statement from Boatman.

Attorney Scott Boatman statement on his client Shawn Kemp: pic.twitter.com/2slkabXWl8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 9, 2023

Nobody was injured in the alleged shooting. However, video of Kemp at the scene of the incident has since surfaced. You can see that video here.

Kemp, a first-round draft pick in 1989, played in the NBA for 14 seasons, mostly for the Seattle SuperSonics. Known for his thunderous athleticism, Kemp made six All-Star teams and averaged 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game over his career. He retired from the NBA back in 2003.