Cain Velasquez was booked into the Santa Clara County main jail on Monday for attempted murder after he allegedly shot at a man who was recently accused of molesting a relative possibly “100 times,” according to reports. The relative is believed to be a minor. Velasquez injured the alleged abuser’s stepfather in the shooting.
Velasquez was aiming to shoot Harry Eugene Goularte when he opened fire on a car occupied by Goularte and two others Monday.
The bullet allegedly struck Goularte’s stepfather instead.
The accused man, 43-year-old Harry Eugene Goularte, lives at the home that hosts a daycare business run by his mother, according to a criminal complaint that charged Goularte with one felony count of a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14. Goularte was arraigned Friday, and a judge granted him supervised release, over objections from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.”
Goularte’s accuser is a relative of Velasquez, the newspaper said, citing court records and sources. The child was abused by Goularte at his mother’s day care center, where the suspect also lived, according to the report.
Velasquez, 39, was charged with attempted murder. The man he shot was expected to survive, police said, as they released a mugshot of the retired MMA fighter looking smug and satisfied.
When details of the possible motive emerged, the MMA community, in large part, began to rally behind Velasquez, who’s being held without bail. “Free Cain” became a hashtag and general theme across social media platforms before Velasquez is due in court Wednesday. Many people believe that if the motive behind Velasquez’s alleged actions is true, then his alleged actions were justified.
Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren didn’t mince when he posted, “I don’t want to live in a country where you can’t shoot someone who sexually abused your child.”