UFC champion Cain Velasquez was arrested on Tuesday for an attempted murder charge. Cain fired a gun at a man and now faces charges of attempted murder and various gun assault charges.

The man Cain intended to shoot was recently charged with molesting the star's relative.

The relative, who is a minor, reported the incident that happened at a daycare center. The accused of molesting the minor is 43-year-old Harry Eugene Goularte. He was living in the house where his mother runs the daycare center.

According to the criminal complaint, the minor was under 14.

The incident involving Cain took place when he found out that Goularte was riding in a car together with two other individuals. Cain started chasing after the vehicle and opened fire.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney said:

"Velasquez fired a handgun multiple times into a truck carrying Harry Goularte and two older relatives. Goularte's male relative, 63, was struck once, but expected to survive."

The wounded, Goularte's stepfather, was taken to hospital. His injuries were non-life-threatening.

Goularte pleaded not guilty to child molestation. The District Attorney shared:

"Goularte, 43, is facing felony charges that he molested a child. He was arraigned in Santa Clara County Superior Court on February 25. A judge released him from custody without bail over the District Attorney's objections. He was released under the conditions that he stay in home detention in Morgan Hill, stay 100 yards away from any child under 14, and wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. Goularte was on his way to get the monitor when Cain attacked."

After Cain's arrest, his car was searched. The police found a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with one bullet missing from the magazine. They also discovered two casings and another magazine containing only three bullets.

The 39-year-old UFC star is charged with attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and of willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle with the intent to commit a felony. He will stay in jail until the trial.

The District Attorney commented:

"The sad tragedy is that Mr. Velasquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck. This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family."

Velasquez is a well-known UFC heavyweight champion. He won in 2010 and 2012, making him the first person of Mexican heritage to earn two title belts.

He retired from MMA in 2019 to instead pursue his wrestling career. He was part of WWE until April 2020.

MMA fighter Amador Rosales said about Cain:

"He's taught me so much about wrestling that I've never known before. He's taught me discipline in it as well. He's taught me the most amazing little tweaks that have just improved my wrestling game so much. We're all fighters, and I know that what you see on television is us beating people up. But we're humble … and Cain Velasquez has always been a humble guy, in defeat and victory. I've never seen him once in my entire life here ever throw a fit ever once – not once a tantrum, nothing. He's not an angry guy at all."

Cain received more support on social media. On Twitter, the hashtag #FreeCainVelasquez trended.

WWE star Ronda Rousey tweeted support.