Ex-UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who was arrested on attempted murder charges last month, reportedly tried to kill the man who allegedly molested his 4-year-old son.
Ryan Bader, who is Velasquez’s longtime friend and former wrestling teammate at Arizona State University, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the child at the center of the ordeal is Velasquez’s 4-year-old son. Various earlier reports identified the victim as a girl and a “close relative” of Velasquez’s.
Velasquez, 39, allegedly shot at Harry Goularte, 43, on February 28 in South San José but struck Goularte’s stepfather. Days earlier, the victim reportedly told police that Goularte molested them at a home daycare in San Martin. Goularte’s mother reportedly runs the daycare and Goularte also lives at the residence.
Goularte had been charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. He was arraigned on February 25 and placed on supervised release — against the wishes of Santa Clara County prosecutors.
Three days later, Goularte was en route to get an electronic monitor fitted when Velasquez allegedly chased him from San Martin through Morgan Hill before shooting at him in South San José, reportedly near a school. Velasquez was arrested in San José.
Goularte’s mother and stepfather were also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting. The stepfather was wounded in his arm and torso but he is expected to survive, reports indicated.
Velasquez was denied bond on Monday, and GoFundMe has shut down at least two fundraisers established for his legal costs. He is due back in court on April 14.
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[Featured image: Cain Velasquez/San José Police Department]
