Former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez pleaded no contest Friday to a vigilante shooting spree that wounded an unintended target and sprayed bullets near an elementary school.
During a high-speed chase on crowded streets in Feb. 2022 in Morgan Hill and San Jose, the 42-year-old fired a handgun multiple times at a truck carrying three people, including 43-year-old Harry Goularte, accused of molesting Velasquez's 4-year-old relative at a childcare in San Martin.
One of the bullets hit and injured the driver in the arm.
As part of a negotiated disposition, Velasquez pleaded no contest to attempted murder, felony assault charges, and other related gun charges, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said, in a statement.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
"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," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.
Velasquez began shooting at the victims at an intersection. He then rammed their vehicle and fired more shots, hitting the driver as they drove past the Charter School of Morgan Hill, which was letting out for the day.
During an 11-mile, high speed chase that followed into San Jose, Velasquez fired multiple rounds with his registered .40 handgun.
His target was uninjured in the attack. Velasquez was eventually stopped and arrested by Morgan Hill police.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
A search of the suspect's phone found searches for "sexual assault case where victims family fights back" and "sexual assault cases where victims family retaliates."
Goularte faces felony child molestation charges. Goularte is out of custody after a judge released him on the supervised own recognizance release program with GPS monitoring over the DA's objections.
