Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was arrested and charged this week with attempted murder after shooting into a vehicle that contained a man charged with molesting a 4-year-old relative of Velasquez.
On Monday night in San Jose, California, Velasquez reportedly fired a gun into a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, who is facing felony child molestation charges, according to the County of Santa Clara District Attorney’s office. Also in the vehicle were two older relatives of Goularte, including Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, who was shot in the arm by Velasquez.
“Velasquez began shooting at the victims at Cochran Road and Butterfield Boulevard in Morgan Hill around 3:00 p.m. Monday,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “Velasquez, driving a Ford truck, followed the victims’ Chevrolet Silverado truck, driven by Goularte’s stepfather. During the 11-mile, high speed chase through busy streets into San Jose, Velasquez rammed his truck into the Silverado and fired multiple rounds with his registered .40 handgun. A female passenger in the Silverado called 911 for help.”
“Goularte was uninjured in the attack,” the statement continued. “Velasquez was stopped and arrested by Morgan Hill police near Madrone Avenue in San Jose.”
According to ESPN, Velasquez, 39, is charged with “attempted murder; shooting at an occupied motor vehicle or aircraft; three counts of assault with a firearm; three counts of assault with a deadly weapon; willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle; and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.”
“The sad tragedy is that Mr. Velasquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.”
According to ESPN, the child who is related to Valasques told a law enforcement officer that Goularte touched his genitals in the bathroom of a daycare center, which is owned by Goularte’s mother. The child told police that this had occurred “100 times” and that Goularte had told the child not to tell anyone about it.
Goularte has denied the claims and was released without bail against the wishes of the District Attorney. He is forced to wear an electronic monitoring device and “stay 100 yards away from any child under 14.”
Dana White, president of the UFC, weighed in on the situation on Wednesday, saying Cain did what “we all say we’d do.”
“I obviously feel sorry for him and his family,” White said in an interview with Barstool Sports. “It’s a horrible thing. I don’t know enough details to speak on it, but from what I’ve heard – we all say we’d do it if it ever happened to us. Cain did it.”
Cain last competed in the UFC in 2019, finishing with a record of 14-3 with 12 knockouts, and held the UFC heavyweight belt twice in his career.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].