Shawn Kemp, who was involved in an alleged shooting Wednesday, was released from jail Thursday.
Kemp made headlines when he was stopped by police for being involved in a reported shooting in a parking lot in Tacoma, Washington.
A video of the said incident was then leaked, showing the former Seattle SuperSonics man approaching another vehicle, pointing his weapon at it and pulling the trigger at least once. The man in the other vehicle was also shown before fleeing the scene.
Later, Kemp’s attorney, W. Scott Boatman, issued a statement and explained that Kemp was acting in self-defense.
Apparently, Kemp’s car was robbed and multiple items were taken, including his iPhone. He then tracked his phone, which led him to a car in the parking lot of a shopping center in Tacoma. However, when he approached the other vehicle where his stolen items were located, the people in the other car shot Kemp. It was then that Kemp returned fire in an act of self-defense.
“There was no shooting as previously reported and Mr. Kemp’s actions were reasonable and legally justified. Mr. Kemp met law enforcement at the scene in an attempt to assist in the matter. Mr. Kemp has hired criminal defense attorneys Aaron Kiviat and Tim Leary to represent him and ensure that he is exonerated of all charges.” Boatman said Thursday.
The Pierce County prosecutor’s office said it will not file charges until they have completed their investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, another attorney for Kemp, Tim Leary, expressed joy that authorities “did not rush to judgment” on Shawn Kemp’s case, according to NBA.com.
