More information has been revealed regarding the circumstances that led to the arrest of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez following an alleged shooting in California earlier that week, in which one man was injured and left.
Velasquez, the man who was shot, was arraigned on Wednesday and faces multiple felony charges, including premeditated murder. However, it was not the intended target of the District Attorney’s Office in Santa Clara.
The man injured in the incident is the stepfather of Goularte and suffered minor injuries. According to the District Attorney’s office, Harry Goularte, who was recently accused of sexually abusing a young relative of Velasquez, was the intended victim.
Goularte, who lives at the identical place as the daycare, sexually abused Velasquez’s juvenile family member. The juvenile family member of Velasquez went to a daycare managed by Goularte’s mother, as stated in a report from The Mercury News, which references court records and individuals knowledgeable about the circumstance.
Goularte is facing felony charges for reportedly sexually assaulting Velasquez’s underage family member. Nevertheless, even though the District Attorney objected, a judge granted Goularte’s release from custody without bail after his arraignment at Santa Clara County Superior Court on Feb. 25.
Goularte, who was below the age of 14, was instructed to maintain a minimum distance of 100 yards from any children, wear a bracelet for electronic monitoring, and remain confined to home detention.
Velasquez approached the car as Goularte was en route to retrieve the electronic tracking device, as detailed in their statement from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
39-year-old Velasquez allegedly pursued a vehicle that contained Goularte in the San Jose area, firing multiple rounds from his registered handgun before a high-speed chase of 11 miles.
The statement read, “Velasquez, driving a Ford truck, followed the victims’ Chevrolet Silverado truck, which was driven by Goularte’s stepfather.” During the 11-mile, high-speed chase through busy streets in San Jose, Velasquez forcefully collided his truck into the Silverado and discharged multiple rounds using his legally registered .40 handgun. A female passenger inside the Silverado dialed 911 seeking assistance.
The authorities halted and apprehended Velasquez without any trouble shortly afterwards.
District attorney Jeff Rosen expressed, “This act of violence additionally inflicts further anguish and distress upon his family.” “The unfortunate calamity is that Mr. Velasquez decided to assume the role of law enforcement, putting the public and all individuals in the truck at risk.”
Within the MMA circle, Velasquez maintained a strong following; however, he had not engaged in professional fights since 2019 and dedicated over ten years to participating in the UFC.
On social media, several individuals, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Israel Adesanya, and Justin Gaethje, have expressed their public endorsement for Velasquez in response to the allegations, utilizing hashtags such as #FreeCain and #FreeCainVelasquez. These individuals comprise a group of notable current and former fighters who have shown their solidarity with Velasquez.
In his initial public response to the news, UFC president Dana White expressed sympathy for Velasquez and his family.
White informed Barstool Sports, “It’s an appalling occurrence.” “I lack sufficient knowledge to comment on it, but based on the information I’ve received, we all claim that we would take the same action if we were ever in that situation. Cain executed it.”
Velasquez was officially charged with the crimes of attempted murder, firing at a motor vehicle or aircraft, attacking with a firearm, attacking with a lethal weapon, intentionally firing a firearm from a vehicle, and possessing a loaded firearm with the intention of committing a felony, according to a criminal complaint acquired by USA Today.
Velasquez, who could potentially receive a sentence ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment if found guilty of the charge of attempted murder, is set to make an appearance on Monday, March 7.