Reports: Oscar Pistorius shoots dead his girlfriend

[CreekDog]

Source: USA Today

South African media are reporting that Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius has allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder at his home early Thursday morning.

...

Pistorius, 26, made history by being the first double amputee to take part in the Olympics.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/14/oscar-pistorius-shoots-girlfriend/1918689/

[alp227]

1. GUNS SAVE LIVES?????

[JCMach1]

2. Maybe it was an accident??? but Valentine's Day, GF out LATE????

In a super-safe gated and secured, upscale community...

Sorry, but has my spider sense is tingling...

Story is all over international news.

[Ian Iam]

8. Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

From Salon:

The local media in South Africa was saying that Pistorius told the police the shooting was an accident and that he mistook Steenkamp for a burglar. Which isn’t a far-fetched claim: South Africa is plagued by one of the worst violent crime rates in the world, and especially break-ins by armed robbers, reports the New York Times. Handguns are legal, though there are restrictions.

[JCMach1]

10. History of domestic issues has come out... police are opposing bail

[ManiacJoe]

3. Textbook example of a Rule #4 violation.

Assuming it really was mistaken identity....

Rule #1 – All guns are always loaded.
Rule #2 – Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Rule #3 – Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
Rule #4 – Identify your target, and what is behind it.

[greiner3]

31. "Rule #1 – All guns are always loaded."

When I saw this first rule, I thought your response was of the satirical type.

However, after reading the rest of the 'rules,' I have to call your sanity into question; well, actually the mentality of those who follow this rule.

[ForPeace]

35. Better wording "Rule #1 - Treat all guns as if they are loaded."

It doesn't mean "Keep all your guns loaded".

[DisgustipatedinCA]

42. I re-wrote the rules just to make you happy

I think I may also get a gold star from Wayne LaPierre. Anyway, no need to question anyone's sanity or mentality. Just follow these rules, as they're more or less diametrically opposed to the ones you're scoffing at.

Rule #1 – Always assume a gun is unloaded. Really, what could happen?
Rule #2 – Stop using your index finger to point. Use you gun instead.
Rule #3 – Get rid of the trigger guard. It's only in your way.
Rule #4 – Fire when ready, any old direction will do.

[ManiacJoe]

43. Now that greiner3 has been educated....

[didact]

49. LAPD take note of Rule #4

eom

[MichaelHarris]

4. completely impossible

because guns in homes never kill anyone but bad people. Only good guns kill bad bad guns, I know, Wayne told me so.

[apocalypsehow]

45. +1. n/t.

[AngryOldDem]

5. How tragic.

Just bears out the statistic that if you own a gun, you're more likely to use it against someone you know, or have it involved in an accident with someone you know, rather than against a complete stranger.

[chelsea0011]

6. Let me ask a question. If you knew your boyfriend or girlfriend had a loaded

weapon at their disposal, would you be surprising anyone in their house?

[Gormy Cuss]

28. What's the question?

Are you asking whether she shares responsibililty for her own death because she knew he had loaded weapons, or are you questioning whether Pistorius's version of events is truthful?

[chelsea0011]

30. I thought it was kind of obvious that the version of the truth was questionable.

[Ian Iam]

7. 'Blade Runner'

Yes, the very one.

[dipsydoodle]

9. Oscar Pistorius faces murder charge

Last edited Thu Feb 14, 2013, 09:05 AM - Edit history (1)

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is facing a murder charge after his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead at his home in Pretoria.

Police confirmed that a friend of Mr Pistorius's was killed at his home in the early hours of Thursday morning.

They said a 26-year-old man was due in court, but this has been delayed until Friday. Police do not name suspects until they appear in court.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21459240

edited : BBC used the same link with updated narrative.

[OKNancy]

11. photo

[Blue_Tires]

29. Holy damn...

Last edited Fri Feb 15, 2013, 12:52 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm guessing there is another man involved and Pistorius is the jealous type...

[FunkyLeprechaun]

12. It doesn't sound right

Initial reports said that he thought it was an intruder- I've just now heard that she was shot 4 times, two in the head, one on the arm and one on the chest.

It sounds like murder to me.

[ScreamingMeemie]

27. There's a history of domestic abuse there if you search all of the articles.

Also, they apparently took several statements from neighbors that put the "intruder" story in doubt.

[formercia]

13. ......

[Puzzledtraveller]

15. The Killers did a cover of this

I never knew it was Kenny Rogers.

[Aristus]

36. He did a cover version. Th original is by Mel Tillis.

KR's version is pretty good...

[Puzzledtraveller]

14. Just read the article, if the numbers of time shot are correct

I have a real hard time believing the home invasion theory, not that it changes anything, this is completely horrific and tragic. I could only hope she never knew what hit her then to have been aware for the few short moments of the horror she was facing. Damn

[skeewee08]

16. Wow!!!!!

My heart goes out to her family....

[City Lights]

17. Very sad.

[bullwinkle428]

18. Jesus, this was incredibly shocking and depressing news to wake up to this morning.

I guess it shows how easy it is to buy into a media-created image. Shades of Lance Armstrong for sure. Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Reeva Steenkamp.

[FarCenter]

19. 'Blade Runner' Olympian Oscar Pistorius charged with murdering girlfriend

However, Beukes said the police were aware of previous incidents at the house of a "domestic nature", and recent media interviews with Pistorius revealed he kept an assortment of weapons in his home.

"Cricket and baseball bats lay behind the door, a pistol by his bed and a machine gun by a window," Britain's Daily Mail wrote in a profile published last year.

He was arrested in 2009 for assault after slamming a door on a woman and spent a night in police custody. Family and friends said it was just an accident and the charges were later dropped.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/chi-oscar-pistorius-blade-runner-olympian-20130214,0,3668733.story

[shanti]

33. machine gun??

wtf? i realize that his disability puts him at a disadvantage, but all of those weapons? he sounds like a gun nut to me.

[obamanut2012]

39. Machine guns are very difficult to own where he lives

As per SA pundits on twitter.

[onehandle]

20. That statistics hold. You are more likely to kill a loved one, with a gun in the home...

...than the marauding terrorist unicorns on crack that gun nuts claim to fell a hundred times a day.

[obamanut2012]

21. He murdered her, he didn't kill her

History of DV.

Many "Cinderella" stories have dark, hidden centers.

Ugh. Poor woman.

[Berlin Expat]

37. That's what I'm thinking

too. The police stated they'd been called to Mr. Pistorious' residence before on 'domestic matters', and this isn't the first time he's had a run-in with the authorities.

One thing that caught my attention were reports that she had a bullet wound to the hand. It didn't specify as to whether it was on the outside or inside of the hand (the palm), but that strikes me as indicative of a defensive injury. Like she threw her hands or arms in front of her to shield herself. Granted, it's a useless gesture, but it's instinctive.

So I'm going to speculate. If she had this defensive injury, then that tells me she knew a gun was being pointed at her. Which means she could see it; that indicates illumination, a light on in the kitchen or whatnot.

How can Oscar claim he 'accidentally' shot her, mistaking her for a burglar, under those circumstances?

I think this is a case of straight-up murder - an argument that got out of control. The police have said they will oppose bail for Mr. Pistorius when he appears in court tomorrow (Friday) and they will state their reasons for doing so.

That should be interesting, to put it mildly.

[obamanut2012]

38. Several shots, all at close range

Two the the head, and one to the arm and one to the hand.

He also had a machine gun, which is about impossible to have in SA, as per SA pundits on twitter.

They've only been together a few weeks, too.

[Berlin Expat]

41. I'm pretty sure

he lost his cool and killed over some petty thing or another.

There are some rumors, and I must stress that they are rumors, that she was actually shot in the bedroom upstairs and that Pistorius carried her downstairs to the kitchen. The story that Pistorius claimed he'd shot her inadvertently after mistaking her for a burglar did not come from the SA police. It may have come from his lawyer.

I guess we'll all know soon enough once this goes to trial, but that rumor could be the reason why the SA police have accused him of murder, and not manslaughter, which you would expect if it were a case of 'mistaken identity'. Again, it's a rumor, and I'm not in South Africa, nor am I member of the South African police, but I'm still thinking this is a case of a domestic violence that ended in homicide.

[obamanut2012]

44. That's all very interesting

[alarimer]

48. Worse, the police think it was premeditated

It looks to me like he lay in wait for her.

He's going away for a very long time, if found guilty.

[BootinUp]

22. damn, can't imagine what that would be like. nt

[AllyCat]

23. OMG how tragic!

Freakin' guns and trigger fingers take another life and ruin one more.

[JCMach1]

24. Picture of the victim... she was a beautiful model

so sad

[SoapBox]

25. Very, very sad situation.

[Sunlei]

26. tragic & sad news. admired both of them :(

[Liberal_in_LA]

32. I am stunned.

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. some blaming the killing on the "level of crime in South Africa"

Danny Cipriani, England rugby player remarked that "shocking" reports "showed the level of worry and crime in South Africa".

The same theme was taken up by Britain's conservative Telegraph newspaper, which described South Africa as one of the most violent countries in the world where many people have personal firearms in their homes in case of robberies. It reported that last year alone, there were 16 766 reported cases of house robberies.

"There have been several tragic cases where people have killed members of their own household who they mistook for intruders. Last November, a father was arrested for shooting dead his 15-year-old daughter in their garden as she returned home from a night out with friends."

http://mg.co.za/article/2013-02-14-pistorius-shooting-horror-spreads-throughout-the-globe

[obamanut2012]

40. Except he lived in a gated community with top-notch security

A very safe area.

[Liberal_in_LA]

46. yep.

[Blue_Tires]

47. and he "accidentally" shot her four times, too