Had Cain Velasquez not fired his weapon during the February 2022 high-speed vehicle pursuit, or had he missed his intended target without striking another person, the course of his life, the legal proceedings, and the prison sentence that followed could have been very different. However, given his emotional state and the desire to protect his son, doing nothing about an individual he believed had harmed his son seemed impossible to him. In a discussion with former Navy SEAL and prominent podcaster Shawn Ryan, Velasquez recounted the circumstances that led him to take such drastic action, including the events preceding the miles-long chase and shooting.

“I’m like, man, I just got to take a drive,” Velasquez told Ryan. “Like I did have my gun on me the time. And I had all these thoughts like, “I wish, you know, like, I would see him,” but what are the odds of that, like, out driving out in public? I’ve never seen him out in public ever.”

The incident reportedly took place on February 28, 2022. It stemmed from allegations that an individual had hurt Velasquez’s younger son at a daycare facility operated by the individual’s family.

Velasquez recalled that, on the day of the shooting, he had taken his son to the zoo before encountering a vehicle carrying the individual he had identified in connection with his son’s allegations and his family members.

“(I) followed them, and they went right to pick up Harry and go take his ankle monitor, and I lost it,” he added. “Whatever you would say having it is, I lost it. I lost a will to live. Didn’t care about dying. Didn’t care; didn’t care about anything.

He acknowledged following the vehicle for approximately 11 miles and firing multiple shots. Although the individual was believed to be Velasquez’s intended target, the gunfire struck his stepfather, who sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Reflecting on the incident, Velasquez also acknowledged the potential consequences of his actions and the danger posed to others.

“And look at the crime scene,” Velasquez said. “I was like, “Wow. “Like all of them could have. That’s what I was going for. So 11-mile chases are like two gun clips. There’s like a stop there with police during traffic. So innocent people are going to get hit. I was trying not to, but I wasn’t here. I wasn’t. So, I understand, like, it could hurt a lot of people that weren’t even involved.”

Velasquez was arrested and faced multiple felony charges, including attempted premeditated murder and firearm-related offenses. He was initially denied bail on two occasions before being granted release on a $1 million bond in November 2022, subject to strict conditions, including house arrest and electronic monitoring.

On August 16, 21024, Velasquez entered a no-contest plea to attempted murder and other related charges under a negotiated agreement.

On March 24, 2025, he received a five-year prison sentence, along with four years of supervised probation. Following applicable credits for time served and rehabilitative programming, he was released from custody on February 15, 2026.

Separately, a civil lawsuit was filed on behalf of Velasquez’s son against the accused individual and the members of his family. The person pleaded not guilty to the related criminal allegations.

As of February 2026, the criminal proceedings against the individual remained pending, with a further trial-setting hearing scheduled for April 15, 2026.

Cain Velasquez: The weight of the past, the road ahead

Following his release, Velasquez spoke with NBC’s Raj Mathai. “In the last four years of getting things taken away,” he said. “I’ve always stayed really just true to myself and how I want to continue with life, and that’s living from a place of love and giving back.”

In an Instagram post shared a few weeks after his release, Velasquez also spoke about adjusting to life outside prison and reconnecting with his family.

“Hi everyone, now that it’s been a couple of weeks since my release,” he wrote. “I’ve had some time to kind of get back into things, get back into a normal way of life, get used to just doing the normal things, being in the home with the family, and being there for my kids.

“And I just wanted to thank everybody for their love and support. Your words of inspiration and encouragement constantly just lifted me up, myself and my family…”

In the documentary film “The Resurrection of Cain Velasquez,” the former two-time heavyweight champion also reflected on his time in prison and the important moments with his children that he missed during his incarceration.

The former UFC champion has reportedly returned to the American Kickboxing Academy, in San Jose, California, where he continues to mentor young fighters while spending time with his family.