Former UFC fighter pleads guilty to vigilante shooting

Former UFC fighter Cain Velasquez pleaded guilty Aug. 16 to multiple felony charges related to a 2022 vigilante high-speed chase and shooting spree through Morgan Hill that wounded an unintended target and endangered a nearby elementary school, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

During the vehicle chase that occurred during afternoon rush hour on Feb.28, 2022, Velasquez, 42, of Gilroy, fired a handgun multiple times at a truck that was carrying three people. One of those in the truck was Harry Goularte, who is accused of molesting a relative of Velasquez’s, according to authorities. 

In an Aug. 16 hearing, Velasquez pleaded no contest to attempted murder, felony assault charges and other gun charges, the DAs office said. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Velasquez faces prison time for the conviction on numerous felonies. 

“This defendant decided to become judge, jury and executioner. His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents who could have been injured or killed as he shot at his intended victim,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “We have excellent law enforcement in this county. Let them do their jobs.”

On the day of the shooting spree, Velasquez was driving a Ford pickup truck when he saw a vehicle occupied by Goularte in the area of Cochrane Road and Butterfield Boulevard, according to authorities. Velasquez began shooting rounds from his registered .40-caliber handgun as he followed the Chevrolet pickup, which was being driven by Goularte’s stepfather. A female relative of Goularte was also in the Chevrolet.

Velasquez followed the Chevrolet into San Jose. During the 11-minute, high-speed pursuit, Velasquez rammed his truck into the Chevrolet and fired several more rounds at the Chevrolet and its occupants, with one of the bullets striking the driver, authorities said. 

The collision and shooting occurred in the roadway just outside the Charter School of Morgan Hill campus, which was “crowded” with children, teachers and parents, according to the DA’s office. 

Velasquez’s intended target—Goularte—was not struck by the gunfire and was uninjured. Authorities think Velasquez had intended to kill Goularte. 

Shortly after the collision and gunfire outside the school, Velasquez was stopped and arrested by Morgan Hill Police, authorities said. 

A search of Velasquez’s phone found searches for “sexual assault case where victims family fights back” and “sexual assault cases where victims family retaliates,” the DAs office said. 

Goularte, 43, still faces pending felony child molestation charges in Santa Clara County Superior Court, authorities said. Goularte is out of custody after a judge released him on Feb. 25, 2022, with supervised conditions including GPS monitoring. 

On the day of the shooting and vehicle chase, Goularte was on his way to acquire the GPS monitor from county probation officials, authorities said. 

The DAs office had objected to Goularte’s release from custody. 

Velasquez was a resident of Gilroy at the time of the crimes. He is a former heavyweight world champion in the UFC mixed martial arts fighting circuit. He moved to Gilroy in 2010, and had lived in Morgan Hill for about two years before that, according to a previous Gilroy Dispatch story about the former fighter and wrestler.

He twice won the UFC’s heavyweight division, with victories over other high-profile fighters including Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Antonio Silva. Velasquez has trained out of American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.

Velasquez retired from UFC in 2019, and competed in professional wrestling after his retirement.