[Ammi]

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend at his home in Pretoria, local media say.

Police confirmed to local media that a woman - who died at the scene - was shot in the head and arm.

The precise circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear. Reports say he may have mistaken her for a burglar.
The 26-year-old - known as the "blade runner" - was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.

"We found a 9mm pistol at the scene. A 26-year-old man was taken into custody," police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale told Reuters news agency.

Local media say the body was removed from the scene.

South Africa has among the highest rates of crime in the world and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.

But South Africa does have a careful vetting process before awarding gun licenses, Erika Gibson of Beelt newspaper told the BBC.

Pistorius races wearing carbon fibre prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs.

He reached the 400m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At the Paralympics he won gold in the T44 400m, setting a Paralympic record.

For years he dominated in his category at successive Paralympic Games


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21455453

[Jack_]

[Munchkins]

OMFG. I really liked him at the Olympics!
horrendous

[Jack_]

I do hope it was a mistake ***** though, this'll be his career over surely?

[Munchkins]

He's already had like 6 golds, im pretty sure it was the end anyway
So apparently he mistook his girlfriend for a burgular

[Jack_]

What the **** was he doing shooting people though, silly man...never gonna end well, burglar or not. Disappointing.

[Cherie]

I guess in SA and you are as high profile as him, you do what you can to protect yourself, he is more vulnerable than somebody able bodied, sounds like a terrible tragedy.

Happy valentines day.

[Omah]

"The woman had been wounded in her head and upper body."

Seems like a "hit" .....

[Omah]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013...&utm_hp_ref=uk

She doesn't look like a burglar to me .....

[Marc]

Ah sheet, wrong thread.

[MTVN]

Awful if he did think she was a burglar, not sure how that could have happened but I guess like Cherie said being who he is and living in SA you'd probably be extra alert to the threat of burglary

[Vanessa]

This is so sad. Such a tragedy.

[Omah]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...irlfriend.html

Police have confirmed that a 26-year-old man is due before the courts this morning. A police spokesman said a 30-year-old woman was found dead at a luxury housing estate east of Pretoria, shot in the head and the arm, and a 9mm pistol was recovered by police.

Police spokeswoman Sarah Mcira confirmed that the 26-year-old man had been charged with murder. She said police now have 48 hours to question him and continue investigations before he is brought before the court, but added that he could appear as early as Thursday afternoon.

Murder is not usually a mistake .....

http://news.sky.com/story/1051959/os...ed-with-murder

"The deceased was shot four times and died on the scene. It is believed that she was the girlfriend of the accused," said police spokesman Katlego Mogale.

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...e-south-africa

The estate where South African athlete Oscar Pistorius lives and where he is believed to have shot his grilfriend is supposed to be one of the safest in the country.

In 2009, Silver Lakes Golf Estate was voted "the most secure estate in South Africa", according to its website.

Located in the east of the country's capital Pretoria, the estate consists of more than 1,600 plots of land up to 3,000 sq m (32,000 sq ft) built around an 18-hole golf course.

Offering a tranquil lifestyle "unparalleled in the Pretoria region", it has electrified fences, armed 24-hour security guards and manned controlled access.

So it's not like the girlfriend just letting herself into a mid-town apartment .....

[Shaun]

jeeeeesus christ.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Awful if he did think she was a burglar, not sure how that could have happened but I guess like Cherie said being who he is and living in SA you'd probably be extra alert to the threat of burglary

Apparently she was trying to creep into his room at about 5am or sometime similar, trying to surprise him for valentines...

[Omah]

Originally Posted by Mrluvaluva

Apparently she was trying to creep into his room at about 5am or sometime similar, trying to surprise him for valentines...

http://news.sky.com/story/1051959/os...ed-with-murder

Initial reports in the South African media suggested Pistorius' girlfriend was allegedly shot as she woke him, trying to surprise him on Valentine's Day.

But police said the shooting was being treated as a murder investigation and that they were "very surprised" by the reports which they said did not come from them.

[Omah]

http://news.sky.com/story/1051959/os...ed-with-murder

Brigadier Denis Beukes confirmed the pair were the only ones present in the house at the time of the shooting, and that there had been previous incidents at the premises including "allegations of a domestic nature".

The police said they will be opposing bail when the suspect appears in court.

Do they suspect that he will do a runner?

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Omah

http://news.sky.com/story/1051959/os...ed-with-murder



Do they suspect that he will do a runner?

nice one..


What an awful story if they suspect he murdered her

[Omah]

http://news.sky.com/story/1051959/os...ed-with-murder

Pistorius, like many fellow South Africans, appeared to have serious concerns about his safety, and reportedly kept a revolver at his bedside and a machine gun by his window, as well as a cricket bat and baseball bat behind his bedroom door.

WTF .....

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...iend-shot-dead

Police spokeswoman Denise Beukes said there had been reports from neighbours of shouting and screaming coming from the house earlier in the evening.

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21459439

A well-known model and celebrity in South Africa, 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp has been shot dead, allegedly by her boyfriend Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in Pretoria.

She graduated in law from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth where she grew up and moved to Johannesburg six years ago after she was scouted to become the first face of Avon cosmetics in South Africa.

She went on to appear in many campaigns and commercials and had presented some TV shows.

"She was definitely destined for success," her publicist Sarit Tomlinson, from Capacity Relations, told the BBC.

"She was a gorgeous girl both inside and out, and also had a brain... she had an incredible entrepreneurial spirit."

Her family were "shocked and devastated", Ms Tomlinson said.

"She was an absolute angel - the sweetest, sweetest human being, kind human being, it's very, very sad."

RIP .....

[BBfanUSA]

Okay, Really Starting to think he killed her on purpose.

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...er-charge-live

Pistorius's appearance court has been postponed until tomorrow.

Police sources suggested that Pistorius himself had requested that he appear in court as soon as possible today, but that the facilities might not be equipped for people with disabilities.

Police deny that they are giving him special treatment.