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Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was charged with murder Thursday after his girlfriend was shot dead at his South African home.
South African Police spokeswoman Denise Beukes said that Pistorius, 26, and the victim were the only people present when the shooting took place. The woman had been shot at least twice, police said.
Pistorius will appear for a court hearing on Friday at 9am local time, the South African prosecutor’s office confirmed.
Numerous media outlets reported that the sprinter -- who is nicknamed "Blade Runner" because he races wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades -- may have mistaken the woman for an intruder.
Beukes would not confirm the victim's identity, but said investigators were "very surprised" to hear media reports that the shooting was possibly a case of mistaken identity.
A publicist for Reeva Steenkamp, a model whom Pistorius was dating, confirmed to NBC's TODAY that her client was dead. She described the incident as a "huge loss for everyone and too shocking for words."
© Lucky Nxumalo / City Press - Gallo Images via Getty Images, file
Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp attend an award ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 4.
Beukes said there were no signs of forced entry to the home and said that police would oppose any application Pistorius might make to be released on bail.
Beukes said there had been reports about previous problems at Pistorius' home that were "allegations of a domestic nature." When a reporter asked if she meant domestic violence, she nodded and said yes.
"There are witnesses and we have interviewed them," she added. "We're talking about neighbors and people who heard things earlier in the evening and when the shooting took place."
The Associated Press reported that a 9mm handgun had been found at his home in the luxurious Silver Woods gated community.
More on this story from NBC Sports
Sarit Tomlinson, who is Steenkamp's publicist, told Britains' Sky News that the the pair had been together for a couple months.
"She was a rising star ... a very bright young girl," Tomlinson said. She noted that "no one knows what happened" but said "we are in communication with the people on the scene."
The Silver Woods Country Estate released a statement on its website early Thursday: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic circumstances that occurred today at Silver Woods. Our sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to Reeva Steenkamp’s family and friends."
Steenkamp, a 30-year-old law school graduate, gushed about Valentine's Day on Twitter Wednesday, posting "What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow???" and "It should be a day of love for everyone."
What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay
— Reeva Steenkamp (@reevasteenkamp) February 13, 2013
Pistorius was born without a fibula in both legs and battled for years to be allowed to compete against able-bodied athletes.
'National hero'
He was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics. He qualified for the 400-meter semi-finals and 4 x 400-meter final at the London 2012 Summer Games.
His website highlighted that Pistorius ran in 11 races during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralymics and returned home with "two Paralympic gold medals, Paralympic silver, two world records, a Paralympic record, an Olympic individual semi-final and an Olympic final."
Pistorius, a double amputee born without fibulas in his legs, has trained hard to participate in the Olympics despite having to wear prosthetic legs. NBC's Mary Carillo reports.
He earned headlines after qualifying for the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea, and is widely considered the world's most famous disabled athelete.
Speaking to Sky News, South African journalist Kribani Pillay described Pistorius as a "national hero and national icon."
Violent crime is major issue in South Africa, and many homeowners own guns.
In a January 2012 New York Times article, Pistorius described his reaction to a security alarm going off in his home:
He mentioned that a security alarm in the house had gone off the previous night, and he had grabbed his gun and tiptoed downstairs. (It turned out to be nothing.)
I asked what kind of gun he owned ... He fetched his 9-millimeter handgun and two boxes of ammunition. We got back in the car and drove to a nearby firing range, where he instructed me on proper technique. Pistorius was a good coach. ... I asked him how often he came to the range. “Just sometimes when I can’t sleep,” he said.
The U.S. State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security warns of the danger of Pretoria and other South African cities: "On a rating scale of low, medium, high, and critical, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town are rated 'critical' for crime."
Citing South African Police Service 2011 crime statistics, the agency pointed out home invasion as a particularly violent crime that occurs "at an alarmingly high rate."
In Gauteng Province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg, there were 7,039 home invasions reported in 2011, according South African police statistics.
Artist Melinda Bam of Pretoria, who was Miss South Africa 2011, expressed her sadness on Twitter and mentioned "how unsafe most South Africans feel because of crime."
Heartbroken for #ReevaSteenkamp's family & for #OscarPistorius.This highlights how unsafe most South Africans feel because of crime#RIPReeva
— Melinda Bam (@melindabam) February 14, 2013
South Africa's Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee declined to discuss the shooting.
"SASCOC ... knows no more than what is in the public domain, which is there has been an alleged fatal shooting on the basis of a mistaken identity and an apparent assumption of a burglary," it said. "The organization is in no position to comment on the incident other than to say our deepest sympathy and condolences have been expressed to the families of all concerned."
Oscar Pistorius may soon make history as the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. The South African sprinter's emergence as one of the world's fastest runners has generated controversy over whether his carbon fiber prosthetic legs give him an unfair advantage, something he vehemently denies. NBC Sports' Mary Carillo reports.
NBC News' Matthew DeLuca and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related:
Reeva Steenkamp was model, budding TV star
Pistorius sorry for timing of outburst at Paralympics -- but is brand destroyed?
'Meet the Superhumans': Paralympians burst onto world stage
This story was originally published on Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:38 AM EST
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All gun owners are sane until they're not !
FreeLunch4All: Do you really think there is anything heroic about soldiers, war, or state sponsored slaughter? What they (soldiers) might do that would be heroic is to stand the hell up and finally say "enough". Let the LOL statesmen and the other masters of the universe along with their family members put their "boots on the ground" and see if their precious wealth and power still is so damned important to them that they're willing to suffer and die for it.
DN, fortunately for you and for all American citizens our soldiers didn't stand up and say "Enough." We might all be speaking Japanese or German now, lol. As for the "Power and wealth" being things to die for, well, I don't know about power but I enlisted back in 1961 and was willing to fight and die so that I could come back to civilian life, to a free nation where I could pursue my own happiness and since, to many people, that meant having more and living better, well, I certainly felt that it was something to die for. If you're satisfied with a simple existence of "Hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck" quality of life, hey, it's cool but don't diss others who want a better quality of life for themselves and their families. Ok, so some say that it's greed, well, lol, greed has provided more for the most people than anything else. It's a truism that the more you have the more you need to protect and "Having" is worth protecting; That's been the history of Man from tribal culture to city states to nations.
I can't wait for crazy Wayne La Pierre to come out with an new Op Ed that says we need to buy more guns to protect us from double amputees !
Word is that LaPierre avoided the draft because of a " nervous condition"...almost certainly one of the guys who shouldn't have a gun.
Rihanna should learn a lesson from this. Ladies, run on the first sign of domestic violence. I know coz I grew up in such household. We want you to think we'll change but it's a lie. RUN.
Absolutely correct Ethioboy, marriage, like most things in life, depends on a "Equal value for value trade." If a spouse isn't getting a equal value in return for giving value then it's time to end it. I too had the experience of weekly beatings, living in cold-water flats, in bad and dangerous neighborhoods because my mother, after divorcing my father, married a drunken bum who valued booze more than he valued his family. Well, life is a bitch sometimes, but we live and learn and if we fail to learn, it's simply "Tough baby."
RIP - Reeva Steenkamp. My heart goes out to your family...
I won't conjecture about what happened due to the "assume" law that governs stories with lots of speculation on NBC news.com.
Not like the fact-based stories on Fox Propaganda.
And you honestly believe that the mainstream news networks don't spin stories or practice political propaganda?!
Dear John: Anyone who tells a story (as reporters do) will introduce SOME slant to their tale. FOX is controlled by Murdoch, the chap whose people evesdropped on people's private phone calls in the UK where such goings-on are ILLEGAL. So FOX is not slanted... FOX lies all the way over. You are disingenuous when you liken CBS, NBC or ABC to FOX. The WSJ editorial pages also lie all the way over.
Dear Thomas; the political media mental midgets at NBC,MSNBC, ABC, CNN and their affiliates are Pinocchio's in tow under the Pinocchio in Chief. Never has there been such mind washed political paparazzi as there are now.
This is a tragedy...
But it's an even BIGGER tragedy because the woman was beautiful...
And smart with a law degree!
At least that's how it normally goes when pretty people die prematurely.
It's sad to see her referred to as a girl. She was a 30-year-old grown woman with a law degree...not some kid who got in over her head.
A fact, Will, that so many are willing to overlook when promoting the "Awwww, the poor thaaaang!" agenda.
It must have been a chilly day in Johannesburg on November 4th...downright nippley.
I wonder if Oscar Pistorius had read the last two X-Men comics. They had a new guy in them that has the same type of legs and is a lot like the blade runner. He is a bad guy and may of been inspired by Oscar Pistorius.
I guess he got tired of the "stumpy" jokes she kept telling him...He probably took them the wrong way....
Seriously though poor gal didn't deserve to die.....
You have to wonder when all this violence towards women is going to come to an end. Why do men resort to violence to resolve problems, especially if it involves women? Men can show their dominance without exerting physical force through peaceful negotiation and a willingness to yield some. Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp are another example of violence ending in death, the female. Violence has no boundaries, it crosses all races, nationalities, and income levels. It is a result of attitudes, especially towards women. Whether it is the result of disrespect or the fact that women are viewed by many as sex objects, pieces of property, or third rate citizens, societies need to address this ongoing problem and view it as a danger to the prosperity of their future. Domestic violence has always been a problem, but when addressed and punished by harsh penalties, people can learn to settle their disputes in more civilized manners which doesn't include physical harm or death.
No way someone that hot can be killed by a gun.
It's said that his gf was naked and shot in the back of the head. Sounds like he caught her with her pants down and executed her. Maybe his rationale was, if he got along fine without his legs, she would do fine without her head.
Ladies: Never Date a "PIN HEAD JOCK" on Lance Armstrong drugs!
At least his body parts can be harvested to bring back a few lives.
It still will never bring the Life he took!!! Execution is too humane
for what this BEAST took from this earth and her families and friends
are living a tortured painful life. Only a painful slow death will be just.
Many call him an inspiration but i just didn't like the guy. My first impression of him was that he was a jerk. It's looking like being a jerk may be one of his better qualities.
So called nice guys commit murder everyday!
Good, so we can move on, why is it that someone like him gets all this attention for killing? Rich, famous and poor people all kill, just look at the USA cops killing 2-3 people every day, and wounding 6-12 by shooting every day, so that would be last category the "government killing"!--One big difference in third world countries though the government never gets charged---
In a strange quirk of fate he now qualifies for the Men's 50 meter three position small bore 22 caliber event, and especially the Men's 10 meter air rifle - running target olympic events.
Also the NRA medal for accuracy, and the best valentines day gift idea.
Another instance where a gun has found it's target to supposedly protect an individual. Remember guns don't kill people, idiots with guns kill people.
Or idiots with knives, clubs, hammers, etc.. OJ used a knife and the motive was insecure jealousy also.
This story is sooooooooooooooooooo disgusting. Why would anyone kill such a beautiful woman?
First of all, quit showing his photo of any kind. Post her's and talk about her and her wonderful short inspiring life. He is a total POS, worthless, I hope they manually expire him, first let the animals in prison work him over.
He is not mentally ill, he just has a twisted personality disorder and found nothing wrong with killing this beautiful woman.
May she rest in peace and may the world be inspired by her passions.
Him, cook in hell!!!!
This guy is a liar his claiming that he thought it was an intruder as a defense to get away with murder, there were previous complaints of domestic abuse against him and there are witnesses, his going to say anything to save his ass bottom line is this young woman is dead and she cant come back and say what happened I hope he gets life in prison or better yet he gets the death penalty, I feel bad for her family they must be suffering to lose a loved one to such tragic violence.
She was a good friend of a South Africa male singer,and Pistorius did not like that.Very stupid .
I'm sure he is an insecure and jealous pig and if she text him such a nice message the day before it was obvious she cared for him but it seems he didn't feel the same way about her, I just hoped that she would of left him when he abused her the first time.
He's just sooooo sorry.....of course he also strongly denies it!
Guess he's only half a man in more ways than one.
very likely, he did not want her to leave, she wanted to blossom in her carreer, he on the other hand, is a loser, whom could not accept her leaving and he is a controlling person, now, he is crying it was a mistake'n identity case? i don't think so.............. four shots.... it usually takes one shot for mistake'n id.........