Former NBA star Shawn Kemp avoids jail; gets 30 days of home monitoring, community service for 2023 Washington parking lot shooting

Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was sentenced to 30 days of electronic home monitoring on Friday, August 22, for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Washington state mall parking lot in March 2023.

According to The Seattle Times, Kemp must begin home monitoring within two weeks. He is also required to serve one year under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections and complete 240 hours of community service.

Kemp, who played for the Seattle SuperSonics from 1989 to 1997, pleaded guilty to an assault charge in May 2024 as part of a plea agreement. The sentencing guideline for this charge is three to nine months.


Prosecutors had recommended the six-time NBA All-Star be sentenced to nine months in jail, a year of supervision and pay restitution as per the ABC.

Judge Michael Schwartz of Pierce County Superior Court found the circumstances surrounding the crime warranted a lesser sentence, allowing 55-year-old Kemp to avoid incarceration.

The firing incident in Tacoma Mall

Kemp was accused of opening fire after locating two men, Dajuan Jackson and Joshua Puente, whom the defense claimed had stolen several items from his truck while he was attending a celebration with employees of his cannabis company.

According to KOMO News, the stolen items included keys to his business, a cell phone, important paperwork, a business purse, and game-worn jerseys from both Kemp and Hall of Famer Gary Payton, which were intended for a charity auction.

Kemp reportedly tracked the men using his phone and confronted them in the parking lot of the Tacoma Mall.

His defense claimed he fired his weapon only in self-defense after the men shot at him, noting that a holster, but not a gun, was found later in their abandoned car.

Prosecutors contended that Kemp did not appear to react in any way and that there was no evidence suggesting either of the men had fired a gun.

As per Yahoo Sports, the defense also reportedly pointed to Jackson and Puente's 49 and 24 criminal convictions, respectively, in the Puget Sound region.

What is Electronic home monitoring?

Electronic home monitoring in the US criminal justice system is a method where offenders wear electronic devices, often ankle bracelets, to track their location and ensure they comply with court-ordered conditions like curfews or restricting movement.

It allows people to serve sentences or be released on pretrial release from home rather than jail, providing close supervision through GPS or radio signals.

This approach is to reduce incarceration costs and overcrowding. Violations of monitoring conditions can lead to arrest or imprisonment.