Monday afternoon’s shooting took place during a “11-mile high-speed chase through busy streets in San Jose,” a statement from the Santa Clara County, California District Attorney’s Office said as Velázquez pursued his target in a car. means with two other people. Velázquez, the statement said, shot at the vehicle from his Ford truck, hitting the 63-year-old relative on target.
The shot victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the San Jose Police Department said earlier.
“The sad tragedy is that Mr Velazquez chose to take matters into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement Wednesday. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.
The charge of attempted murder stems from Velazquez’s intent to kill his target, but he faces a total of 10 charges, according to court documents. These include shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, three charges of assault with a firearm, three charges of assault with a deadly weapon, deliberately firing a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a crime.
Velázquez was arrested on Monday and sentenced to prison in Santa Clara County, police said earlier in a tweet. He will be charged Monday after initially appearing in court on Wednesday, according to the prosecutor’s office.
CNN turned to Velazquez’s lawyer to comment on his behalf. Attempts to contact Velazquez and his manager for comment earlier this week were unsuccessful.
Velazquez’s target faces charges of child abuse, says DA
The alleged victim of Velazquez, 43-year-old Harry Goularte, faces criminal charges on charges of harassing a child, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. Velázquez’s criminal complaint describes Goularte’s alleged victim as a “close relative” of Velázquez.
Gularte was released from custody by a Santa Clara County judge “because of the district attorney’s objections,” the office said in a statement. Conditions for his release required him to remain under house arrest, wear an electronic surveillance bracelet and stand 100 yards from any child under 14. During the shooting, Gularte was on his way to take the surveillance device, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
CNN turned to Goularte’s lawyer for comment.
According to the state and the criminal complaint, Velázquez followed a Chevy Silverado truck carrying Goularte and two elderly relatives from their home in San Martin to Morgan Hill before arriving in San Jose on Monday afternoon.
Velázquez pointed a gun at Goularte and opened fire as vehicles approached Cochran Road and Butterfield Boulevard in Morgan Hill, south of San Jose, the complaint said. The chase continued before Velázquez hit Silvarado on the victims with his truck near the Bailey Avenue intersection, witnesses said in part two.
Velázquez then fired two shots near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue, hitting a 63-year-old relative of Goularte in the arm and ribs, according to details in the statement and complaint. Police later found four shell casings near the intersection, and another was placed in the rear passenger door of the victims’ car, the complaint said.
Morgan Hill police soon discovered Velázquez, who stopped and was arrested without incident, the complaint said. Authorities found a 40-caliber semi-automatic pistol in the car, loaded with nine bullets loaded with 10 rounds. Another cartridge with 10 rounds in the Ford console had three bullets, the complaint said, and two burnt shell casings were in the front passenger seat.
Supporters of the former UFC champion gathered while Velázquez appeared briefly in court on Wednesday, CNN affiliate KGO reported. Many wore Free Cain shirts.
Velazquez competes in the UFC heavyweight division and is a two-time champion. The mixed martial arts professional had 12 wins by knockout, two by decision and two title defenses, according to his UFC profile. Velázquez had three losses. His last match was in 2019, after which he focused on professional wrestling.
CNN’s Sarah Moon contributed to this report.