Retired NBA legend detained after a drive-by shooting

By Brandon DrenonBBC News, Washington DC

Getty Images NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp dunks a basketball.Getty ImagesNBA All-Star Shawn Kemp has been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting

Retired NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp has been arrested by authorities in Tacoma, Washington, in connection with a drive-by shooting.

Police arrived at the Tacoma Mall on Wednesday in response to reports of shots fired, where they said an argument between two drivers had escalated into gunfire by one man.

A witness recorded parts of the event on his phone which appears to show Mr Kemp in the parking lot before fleeing.

No injuries have been reported.

Mr Kemp, 53, was booked into the Pierce County jail and appears on the jail roster charged with drive-by shooting.

An affiliate station from BBC's US media partner CBS obtained video footage from a nearby witness who recorded the events after he said he heard gunshots.

"The mail lady was coming in and she said, 'The guy in the red vest just shot somebody,'" witness Brandyn Payne, who recorded the video, told KIRO-TV.

"And then I ran over there and locked all my doors and started videotaping it."

The video shows a man in a red vest believed to be Mr Kemp waving his arms and pointing at another vehicle that drove off.

Mr Kemp then climbed into a Porsche, which the stationed confirmed is registered to Mr Kemp, and sped way. Another video shows the man in the Porsche being stopped by police and arrested.

Investigators said a gun was recovered at the scene, but no further details have been released in the active and ongoing investigation.

CBS reports Mr Kemp has dealt with other legal problems in the past.

In 2006, he was arrested for alleged drug possession in Washington after, police said, he and another man were found with cocaine, marijuana and a semiautomatic pistol. Mr Kemp was arrested again in 2006, in Houston, on misdemeanour marijuana possession charges.

Mr Kemp has a storied 14-year NBA career, appearing across the court from many NBA legends of the 90s era like Michael Jordon.

Nicknamed the "Reign Man", Mr Kemp was a six-time NBA All-Star, and played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Caveliers, Portland Trail Blazers and the Orlando Magic.

BBC in other languagesInnovation

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o67CZ5qopV%2Bjsri%2FjrCmq6SUYsK0ecKapZqckWKDdYSYa2lrbA%3D%3D