Six-time Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius was arrested early this morning and charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp after her lifeless body was discovered at his home in Pretoria, South Africa.
The 26-year-old double amputee known as ‘Blade Runner’ stands accused of shooting Reeva in the arm and head with a 9-mm pistol early Thursday morning.
According to police in South Africa: the murder weapon was found at the scene, the accused was at his home after the death of the victim, and “there is no other suspect involved.”
A hearing has been delayed until Friday in order to give forensic investigators time to do their work. Police indicate they will oppose bail.
Media reports suggest that Steenkamp might have been in the process of trying to surprise her boyfriend of two months on Valentine’s Day and he mistook her for a burglar.
Steenkamp, 30, a law school graduate and aspiring model, gushed about Valentine’s Day on her personal Twitter page yesterday:
Oscar raced in the 2012 London Olympics, the first time an amputee runner was allowed to compete. He was chosen to carry the South African flag during the closing ceremony.
Pistorius successfully competed in the last three Paralympics Games, winning a total of six gold medals, a silver and a bronze during the 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.
You can watch a TODAY report with video footage below:
Photo Credit: WENN, Video Screen Grab