Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was arrested and charged in connection to a drive-by shooting in Tacoma, Washington.
The incident took place Wednesday at about 1:58 p.m. when officers were alerted to gunshots being fired in the parking lot of the Tacoma Mall, Tacoma Police Department in Washington said, according to ABC News.
"Responding officers determined an altercation had occurred between two parties in vehicles," said the Tacoma Police Department in a statement following the incident. "One of the drivers fired off several rounds at the occupants of the other vehicle."
Officers were able to locate and arrest without incident a 53-year-old suspect who had fired shots at the driver of the other car. They also confirmed that a firearm was recovered from the scene.
Jail records show Kemp, 53, was booked on a felony charge of drive-by shooting. Pierce County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Darren Moss confirmed to The Washington Post that Kemp was scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
Kemp, a six-time All-Star, played with the Seattle SuperSonics for eight seasons after he was drafted in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft. He went on to play with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers before ending his career with Orlando Magic in 2003, citing weight issues, according to ESPN, which noted that during his last NBA season, he weighed as much as 320 pound.
Kemp slimmed down dramatically in 2006 through an exercise regime. That year he said he was planning a comeback.
"My love for the game is very, very high," Kemp said at the time. "I've made a living off of this game. I'm not coming back to play basketball for any financial reasons. I'm not playing just to make someone's roster. I'm not just playing to make a comeback. My hopes and dreams are to be in the Hall of Fame one day."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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