Olympic "Blade Runner" Pistorius charged with murdering girlfriend

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NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" for his racing prosthetics, was charged on Thursday with murdering his girlfriend at his home in Pretoria.

Police said they had opened a murder case after a 30-year-old woman was found shot dead at the scene in the upmarket Silverlakes gated community on the outskirts of the capital.

Police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said a 9 mm pistol had been found at the scene and a 26-year-old man was taken into custody. In South Africa police do not identify suspects until they are charged in court.

"There are witnesses and they have been interviewed this morning. We are talking about neighbors and people that heard things earlier in the evening and when the shooting took place," police brigadier Denise Beukes told reporters outside the residential complex in Pretoria.

"At this stage he is on his way to a district surgeon for medical examination and will be appearing at the Pretoria Magistrate Court at 2 pm this afternoon."

Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702 said Pistorius was believed to have shot his girlfriend, a model, in the head and arm, although the circumstances were unclear. The radio had said before the murder charge that he might have mistaken her for a burglar.

Reeva Steenkamp was reported to have been dating Pistorius for a year. In the social pages of last weekend's Sunday Independent she described him as having "impeccable" taste.

"His gifts are always thoughtful," she was quoted as saying.

Some of her last Twitter postings indicated she was looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day on Thursday with him.

"What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow???" she posted.

"We are all devastated. Her family is in shock," Steenkamp's agent, Sarita Tomlinson, told Reuters, in tears over the incident, which happened in the early hours of the morning.

"They did have a good relationship," she said. "Nobody actually knows what happened."

TRACK STAR

Pistorius, who races wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics and reached the 400 meter semi-finals in London 2012.

In last year's Paralympics he suffered his first loss over 200 meters in nine years. After the race he questioned the legitimacy of Brazilian winner Alan Oliveira's prosthetic blades, though he was quick to express his regret for the comments.

South Africa has some of the world's highest rates of violent crime, and many home owners have weapons to defend themselves against intruders.

In 2004, Springbok rugby player Rudi Visagie shot dead his 19-year-old daughter after he mistakenly thought she was a robber trying to steal his car in the middle of the night.

Pistorius's lavish home is in the heart of a large estate surrounded by a three-meter-high stone wall topped by an electric wire fence.

"It is difficult to imagine an intruder entering this community, but we live in a country where intruders can get in wherever they want to," said one Silverlakes resident, who did not want to be named.

"Oscar is a good guy, an upstanding neighbor, and if he is innocent I feel for this guy deeply," he said.

Pistorius did not answer his mobile phone on Thursday. His South African agent told Reuters he had not spoken to Pistorius but his lawyers were with him.

He is sponsored by British telecoms firm BT, sunglasses maker Oakley, sports apparel maker Nike and French designer Thierry Mugler.

"We are shocked by this terrible, tragic news. We await the outcome of the South African police investigation," a BT spokeswoman said before Pistorius was charged.

A Nike spokesman in London said before hearing of the murder charge that the company was "saddened by the news, but we have no further comment to make at this stage".

(This story is refiled to add missing word "said" in paragraph 3)
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http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE91D0AE20130214?irpc=932
 
purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,168
6,040
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heard this on the radio this morning. they were saying that he had recently stashed a huge arsenal due to the crime/violence in south africa. they said that his girlfriend was coming into the house at 3am to surprise him and he shot her thinking it was an intruder. if that turns out to be the story that is truly a tragic crime and an awful incident. i couldn't imagine how he feels if that is how it went down. not sure where they got their information from though.
 
I

ichy

Diamond Member
Oct 5, 2006
6,940
8
81
Sounds like it might have been an accidental shooting. South Africa is a crime-ridden hell hole and he could have thought she was a home invader.
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
46
91
What I want to know is, when he uhh... you know... with her, does he leave his "legs" on or does he give it to her stump style??
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,344
126
purbeast0 said:
heard this on the radio this morning. they were saying that he had recently stashed a huge arsenal due to the crime/violence in south africa. they said that his girlfriend was coming into the house at 3am to surprise him and he shot her thinking it was an intruder. if that turns out to be the story that is truly a tragic crime and an awful incident. i couldn't imagine how he feels if that is how it went down. not sure where they got their information from though.
Click to expand...

I think there was a soccer player (not sure if it was in South Africa or not) that had the same thing happen. GF came in late at night unexpected and he popped her on accident.

Terrible situation.
 
klinc

klinc

Senior member
Jan 30, 2011
555
0
0
vi edit said:
I think there was a soccer player (not sure if it was in South Africa or not) that had the same thing happen. GF came in late at night unexpected and he popped her on accident.

Terrible situation.
Click to expand...

Was a rugby player called Vleis Visagie shot his 14 year old daughter
 
klinc

klinc

Senior member
Jan 30, 2011
555
0
0
purbeast0 said:
that the one who shot his daughter thinking it was someone stealing his car? they mentioned that on the radio as well.
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Yeah. Ruling party is killing off everyone against them so those who have guns shoot first check later or take the risk of your family getting raped, mutilated and beaten to death before you. Most of these happens to farmers who do not want to sell their land to the government. So they do what they do best and murder them.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,344
126
surfsatwerk said:
South Africa is not a nice place. Most whites are armed constantly, no matter where they go.
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Probably doesn't help being a world renowed athlete and people knowing you've got high priced indorsement contracts. South American athletes have had kids/family members abducted in place for ransoms.

Be happy you live in the fairly sensible US.
 
klinc

klinc

Senior member
Jan 30, 2011
555
0
0
OILFIELDTRASH said:
If you're that fucking afraid it's time to move. All these gun clutching pussies.
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Move where? With what money? We have strict gun laws. So we have a few gun clutching pussies and 190 000 people who did not have a gun to defend themselves. See what happens when someone break into your families home rape your wife, daughter mutilate them before you then beat you to death last cutting off pieces of your body.
 
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