Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympian dubbed “Blade Runner” because of his artificial legs, has been charged with murder in his home country of South Africa.
According to police, Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early morning hours Thursday in a gated community of Pretoria, the country’s capital.
Initial reports suggested that the shooting might have been accidental, but South African police have stated those reports are not coming from them. A police spokeswoman indicated that there have been previous incidents at Pistorius’ home.
“Yes there are witnesses and there have also been interviews this morning,” police brigadier Denise Beukes told reporters. “We are talking about neighbors and people that heard things that happened earlier in the evening and when the shooting took place.”
Pistorius made history at the 2012 London Olympics by becoming the first double-amputee track athlete to compete in the Games. He had both of his legs amputated below the knee because of a congenital condition, he competed in the 400 meters and on South Africa’s 4×400 relay team.
According to The Associated Press, U.N. stats show that South Africa has the second highest rate of shooting deaths in the world, behind only Columbia.
Photo via Twitter/@Yamil_Bsc
