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

 

Police said they have charged a 26-year-old man with murder, but did not confirm it was Mr Pistorius.

 

The precise circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear. Reports say he may have mistaken her for a burglar.

 

Mr Pistorius, 26, is known as the "blade runner", and was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.

 

The suspect is expected to appear at Pretoria Magistrates' Court later on Thursday, police said.

 

They also confirmed that a woman had been shot dead at the home of Oscar Pistorius and that she was a friend of the athlete.

 

Police added that there had been previous incidents at the address and described them as "allegations of a domestic nature".

 

Reeva Steenkamp's publicist confirmed to the BBC that the 30-year-old model had died.

 

"Everyone who knew her is in tears. She was an absolute angel, the sweetest, sweetest human being, a kind human being," Sarit Tomlinson said.

 

The news that Mr Pistorius may have killed his girlfriend will shock the country as the athlete is regarded as one of South Africa's national icons, reports the BBC's Peter Biles from Cape Town

 

Valentines surprise! 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2013/feb/20/oscar-pistorius-bail-hearing-day-two-live-coverage

 

Prosecution seem to have their act together today.

 

Botha says that the toilet itself is to the left in the toilet room. He says the bullets were fired diagonally through the door.

 

But Steenkamp's injuries were on her right side. Botha says this indicates that she was standing "hiding" on the righthand side of the toilet room – and was not sitting on the toilet.

 

The shots went through her clothes, showing she was dressed when she was shot.

 

Botha says more charges will be added: possession of unlicenced ammunition, since they found .38 Special rounds in a bedroom safe. He had no licence for a .38 calibre weapon. He had a licence for a 9mm pistol.

Take it by clothes they don't mean bed clothes. Otherwise it doesn't really indicate anything. Boy does look pretty fucked like.

It would have been much cooler if he'd slashed her to death with one of his 'blades'.

A lawyer and Mr Pistorius's brother were already at the scene when police arrived.

 

Bullets were fired "down" and through top part of door suggesting he had prosthetic legs on.

 

 

 

That's a coincidence then since his explanation smacks of one hastily (and poorly) constructed by speaking to your lawyer.

Reading the BBC feed it looks like the prosecution officer who is quoted above is a bit of an neep and the defense lawyers have ran rings round him and found a heap of holes in his evidence and has turned the trial.

 

"We're in terrible trouble" says junior prosecution official leaving court.

 

 

Prosecution have fallen to pieces.

 

Still don't get how Oscar is supposed to have got past the bed and shot someone in the bathroom without checking it wasn't his girlfriend first!

Basic question, he didn't check whether his burd was in the bed before filling the bog full of hollow points? Ma fucking arse, guilty your honour.

To make it more strange the investigating officer getting all the flack yesterday  is up in court in May on 7 counts of attempted murder - how can he be working???

 

Bail decision due at 12.30.  I'll be surprised if he doesn't get bail, although I'm not sure he should get bail as the fundamental question still exists - why did he not check that it was his girlfriend in the bathroom before unloading his gun?

 

Prosecution will need to up their game for the full trial.

 

Bail decision due at 12.30.  I'll be surprised if he doesn't get bail, although I'm not sure he should get bail as the fundamental question still exists - why did he not check that it was his girlfriend in the bathroom before unloading his gun?

 

Prosecution will need to up their game for the full trial.

 

 

Doubt that question will ever be properly answered.

 

 

Apparently he wanted a new bathroom door, but his girlfriend was dead against it.

some SA legal expert was talking about the culture of paranoia in SA, which makes what Pistorius is claiming to have done very common. So then you can basically kill anybody at all and have a very good chance you get away with calling it an accident.

 

also seems like none of these senior south african legal pricks actually care about a woman being killed.

 

Doubt that question will ever be properly answered.

 

 

 

 

It's left me stumped tbh be honest.

The judge is dragging the arse out of this.

 

EDIT: Bail granted.

some SA legal expert was talking about the culture of paranoia in SA, which makes what Pistorius is claiming to have done very common. So then you can basically kill anybody at all and have a very good chance you get away with calling it an accident.

 

also seems like none of these senior south african legal pricks actually care about a woman being killed.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZjwCmJrnlY

Going slightly off topic but just saw the video from South Africa on the BBC website of the taxi driver who "parked incorrectly" being handcuffed to the back of a police van then dragged away down the street at high speed. Unsurprisgly he is reported to have died at the police station as humans are not built to be dragged along tarmac at high speed.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21615593  That along with the videos of the police shooting mining protesters in cold blood makes you wonder where South Africa is going and if they can prosecute anyone fairly.

Going slightly off topic but just saw the video from South Africa on the BBC website of the taxi driver who "parked incorrectly" being handcuffed to the back of a police van then dragged away down the street at high speed. Unsurprisgly he is reported to have died at the police station as humans are not built to be dragged along tarmac at high speed.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21615593  That along with the videos of the police shooting mining protesters in cold blood makes you wonder where South Africa is going and if they can prosecute anyone fairly.

 

I wouldn't say its going anywhere fast, countries don't tend to move much very quickly 

 

I wouldn't say its going anywhere fast, countries don't tend to move much very quickly 

 

2.15 cm/year  - could go round your head in a decade

2.15 cm/year  - could go round your head in a decade

 

And around your penis in 6 months 

And around your penis in 6 months 

 

You weren't complaining when you were grinding on top of me in bed in Belgium.....

Well unless I'm missing something, he is looking very much like guilty of murder to me.  Plenty of evidence so far contradicts his so called version of events.

Aye, I was reading on twitter that he threw up on multiple occasions while they were going through the testimony.

Aye, I was reading on twitter that he threw up on multiple occasions while they were going through the testimony.

 

From what I've been following re trial on twitter it sounds like his forename is very appropriate!

 

He seems to "retch and vomit" for sympathy. No way is he innocent, as others have said the first thing you would check is that your partner was still in bed with you and safe.

 

Follow @Debora_Patta on twitter for up to date trial info.