TACOMA, Wash. — Former Seattle SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp appeared for arraignment in Pierce County Superior Court on Thursday for an assault charge stemming from a March 8 shooting at the Tacoma Mall. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.
Commissioner Craig Adams released Kemp on his personal recognizance without bail and set his next court date for June 15.
Kemp was arrested by Tacoma Police Department on the day of the shooting and was released from custody a day later after prosecutors requested further investigation. Police said no one had been injured. Prosecutors charged Kemp a little more than a month later with first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement, accusing him of shooting a handgun at an occupied car in the mall's parking lot, then discarding the weapon in a bush.
Charging documents alleged that Kemp was seen on surveillance video arriving in a Porsche, leaving his car, retrieving a small bag from inside a backpack and walking toward the other vehicle, a 4Runner SUV. Video allegedly showed Kemp firing one round into the hood, and records state the driver ducked at what appeared to be another gunshot. A forensic analysis reportedly found the SUV had been hit by three bullets.
He entered the courtroom through the gallery, walking past several TV-news cameras to the defense table, where he was seated without handcuffs. Wearing a Polo vest and a blue gingham shirt, Kemp appeared calm throughout the proceeding, keeping his hands pressed together while answering questions from Adams.
There was little back and forth between prosecutors and Kemp's attorneys, Aaron Kiviat and Tim Leary. Deputy prosecutor Jim Schacht reiterated the charge brought against the defendant and said he didn't have any concerns about Kemp returning to court. Leary requested that Kemp be able to travel out of state for business purposes, which Adams granted.
Before ordering Kemp's release, Adams noted that the defendant does not have any criminal history.
"You have some speeding tickets and you're not a very good driver apparently, but nothing to give me cause for the danger of the community or that you would not appear back in court," Adams said.
Attorneys for Kemp have said that his car was broken into in Seattle and that Kemp tracked his stolen iPhone to a car at the Tacoma Mall, where people inside the vehicle shot at Kemp. The attorneys have said Kemp shot back in self-defense.
In an interview with Tacoma detectives, Kemp allegedly said he first tracked his phone to a location in Fife that led him to a silver SUV. He said he asked the occupants if they had his stolen items, but the vehicle left. Then he tracked the phone to the mall.
"Kemp was adamant in his interview that he had retreated to his vehicle after he was shot at, and then shot back at the 4Runner," a detective reported. "However, the video clearly showed Kemp getting the revolver out of the backpack as soon as he gets out of his Porsche."
The defendant told detectives he parked about five stalls away from the vehicle and approached to ask about his stolen property. While he demanded the driver give the items back, Kemp said he noticed the rear passenger window roll down, and a gunshot was fired at him.
Kemp allegedly said he went back to his car and fired one or two shots at the SUV, which was fleeing.
After the arraignment, Kemp walked out of the County-City Building with his attorneys, fist-bumping a person manning the security stalls on his way out. Before leaving in a car, he stopped for a few selfies with people outside.
