26-year-old paralympian, Oscar\u00a0 Pistorius,has\u00a0 shot dead his 30-year-old model girlfriend from Port Elizabeth in the head and upper body<\/p>\n
A body of Reeva Steenkamp\u00a0 was discovered at the athlete\u2019s home in the Silver Woods country estate in eastern Pretoria, South African police said.<\/p>\n
Pistorius reached the 400m semi-finals at the London 2012 Olympics A journalist in South Africa has told Sky News that Pistorius\u2019 girlfriend was allegedly shot as she woke him, trying to surprise him on Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
Pistorius was arrested on Thursday morning following the shooting and is expected in court later.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old is alleged to have shot his 30-year-old model girlfriend from Port Elizabeth in the head and upper body.<\/p>\n
Paramedics were called to his home between 4am and 5am local time by a third person at the house.<\/p>\n
Police arrived shortly afterwards and a 9mm pistol was recovered from the scene. They have launched a murder investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deceased was shot four times and died on the scene. It is believed that she was the girlfriend of the accused,\u201d said police spokesman Katlego Mogale.<\/p>\n
Pistorius and Miss Steenkamp are believed to have been seeing each other since November.<\/p>\n
South African journalist Kalay Maistry told Sky News: \u201cIt is alleged that he thought his girlfriend, who\u2019d come in to try to surprise him for Valentines Day, was an intruder. It\u2019s alleged that he shot her at least twice in the arm and head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what this actually highlights is the level of fear ordinary South Africans have.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a man who has gone to bed, it\u2019s an innocent surprise from a girlfriend \u2026 and the moment he thinks someone is trying to break in he grabs his gun.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has come as a complete surprise for a man who\u2019s considered a national hero,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Police are investigating the shooting at the Silver Woods country estate Miss Steenkamp, a top South African model and law graduate, was active on Twitter just 14 hours ago.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWhat do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay\u201d<\/p>\n
In response to someone else\u2019s plans, she said: \u201cThat sounds amazing! Wow that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about! It should be a day of love for everyone\u00a0 may it be blessed!\u201d<\/p>\n
Her publicist Sarit Tomlinson said the family was \u201cshocked\u201d and \u201cdevastated\u201d by the news.<\/p>\n
She described Miss Steenkamp as \u201cthe sweetest human being\u201d and \u201ca talented and bright young girl\u201d, adding that the couple had a \u201chealthy, fabulous relationship\u201d.<\/p>\n
Reporting from South Africa, Sky\u2019s Emma Hurd, said: \u201cIt does appear that this was a tragedy \u2013 a Valentine\u2019s Day surprise which went horrifically wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Johannesburg-born athlete, known as the \u201cBlade Runner\u201d, made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics.<\/p>\n
He won gold in the 4x400m relay at the Paralympic Games.<\/p>\n
The shooting was at Pistorius\u2019 home in the South African capital Pretoria The athlete had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old, because of a congenital condition, and runs on carbon fibre blades.<\/p>\n
Last year Time Magazine named him as one of the world\u2019s 100 most influential people.<\/p>\n
Silver Woods, situated in the country\u2019s capital, is understood to be a high security gated complex with electrified walls, a guarded entrance and regular patrols.<\/p>\n
South Africa has some of the world\u2019s highest rates of violent crime with an average of nearly 50 people murdered each day.<\/p>\n
Some home-owners carry weapons to defend themselves against intruders. According to statistics, nearly 13 in every 100 people in the country own a gun, and it is estimated there are almost six million civilian firearms.<\/p>\n
Runner\u2019s World magazine editor Mike Finch, speaking from South Africa, told Sky News: \u201cIf anybody can overcome this sort of thing it\u2019s probably Oscar.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had to deal with a lot in his life. He had a mother that died when he was very young, he obviously has his disability, but yet he\u2019s been amazing from a South African perspective as an ambassador.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a certain school of people that don\u2019t particularly like him, but I think today everybody has kind of rallied round him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sky News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
26-year-old paralympian, Oscar\u00a0 Pistorius,has\u00a0 shot dead his 30-year-old model girlfriend from Port Elizabeth in the head and upper body A body of Reeva Steenkamp\u00a0 was discovered at the athlete\u2019s home…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n