Washington prosecutors have charged Sean Kemp with first-degree assault over a shooting that occurred in March.
Prosecutors say a text message Kemp sent before the incident showed an intent to confront and shoot the person who allegedly stole his cellphone.
Kemp’s attorneys, who said he would plead not guilty, insisted that Kemp returned fire in self-defense.
“It is confident that once the jury has heard from the witnesses and seen the evidence at trial, they will conclude that he was justified in defending himself that afternoon,” Kemp’s legal team wrote in a statement.
A probable cause statement from Tacoma police indicated that Kemp was not shot, and that some of his statements were not corroborated by surveillance video.
Kemp is scheduled to go to trial on May 4.