'Blade Runner' Pistorius charged with girlfriend's murder

Given the information in the article, I could go either way on the question of his guilt or innocence.

Wow, would take quite a leap of imagination to conceive of an innocent explanation.

It's been reported elsewhere that his girlfriend tweeted about going to his place to surprise him for Valentine's Day. Looks like he may have indeed mistaken her as an intruder, where home intrusions are reported to be a known problem. Tragic.

This is SO SAD!! RIP poor young lady

They did say he was a gun athlete. wouldn't want to be in his shoe right now. No doubt he's taking it all in his stride. I heard after the shooting he tried to leg it, got away on foot. he`ll definately have to do some sole searching

Blood was his Valentine - no mistake about that.

For some people Valentine is Violence time.

This is the fundamental handiwork and fruit of the gun-lover. I distinguish "gun-lover" from "gun-owner." I seriously doubt that Pistorius will be a gun-lover from here on out, now that his actions have blotted out the life of the woman who loved him.

It's been reported that he's claimed he mistook her for an intruder however there have been reports from neighbours that there were arguments coming from the property before that.

It's very tragic any way you look at it.

Sad,,,

BTW JT: This article is so horribly written; full of irrelevant facts and no cohesiveness to the story

Absolutely shocking, he looked like he had a very promising career, I always rooted for him and wanted and wished him well in career and she was the embodiment of a very beautiful model that was up and coming. Now both lives are wasted. Very sad, my heart goes out to both families for their losses.

See where loving and having fire arms leads? Another gun advocate in a situation where the protective gun was used on someone he cared about. Probably in a rage fired moment. Had he not had the gun, chances increase considerably that an altercation and not murder would have happened.

But hey, why not keep believing that guns are beneficial? Some people never give up on aliens in the closet, 2012 Mayan end of the world ideas and many other pretty obviously wrong ideas.

I guess the initial story about thinking it was a burglar, when it was really the woman surprising him, was hogwash. Who surprises someone at 3 a.m. on Valentine's Day, anyway? He seems to be prone to making bad decisions and is a hothead when not in the public eye but he'll probably get a break due to his celebrity. Tragic end for the young woman. RIP.

Very very tragic!!!

No need to put "Blade Runner" before his name in every article any more.. everybody knows who he is.

See where loving and having fire arms leads?

From what I've heard from people who've lived in South Africa, its definitely one place I'd want a gun to protect myself in the home given the level of murder, robbery and rape. I wouldn't shoot my girlfriend with it though.

One of the first articles on this I saw, referenced a former Springbok who shot and killed his 19 year old daughter, 3 years ago, after mistaking her for someone trying to steal his car. The writer was obviously trying to give the Pistorius the benefit of the doubt, that it might have been another accident.

Four shots to the head, though. Really, doesn't sound so much like an accident.

He never really inspired me either. I thought he came across as a bit of a tosser.

Bass. Why rooted for him? and she was not up and coming - 30 years old and already well established (FHM top 100 twice). She deserves sympathy but he has always been a bit of an arrogant hothead.

I wonder if he'll be allowed to keep his blades in prison, or will he have to hobble around on his knuckles...

if She was his girlfriend i assume she had a key right, i wonder how he could mistake her for a burglar.

I lived in SA for a while and people carry guns there like women carry LV handbags here. Beautiful place but massive disparity between the haves and havenots coupled with a lot of frustration and resentment. Around the neighbourhood you will see two guys sitting in a van waiting for an armed response call (this is more Transvaal area, Cape Town has a different feel but still not safe.) Incredible country though, well worth a visit.

" Four shots to the head, though…"

The BBC article says four shots to the head and upper body.

Since it was sometime around 3am, he was very likely sleeping. If she approached him in the dark, and given the crime rates(robbery, etc), the initial reports of misidentification are not far-fetched.

Tragic.

Surf

Sghe arrived at the place at 8.15 pm and neighbours heard shouting around 11.30. I think this was a domestic gone wrong. Chiba - people don't carry guns like LV handbags in SA. Most of my friends there do not have a gun and geting a licence for one these days is well-nigh impssible (tests, 2 year wait etc).

I liked the article and thought it was well researched - for once.

Never been a fan as he's always come off cocky. Seems he's be involved in an assault on a female in 2009. Things aren't looking good for this - nor him. Glad he's being treated like everyone else on this.

SA is dangerous. No doubt about it but certainly not everyone is packing. Yet another reason why I believe in gun control. RIP to her. She clearly didn't deserve to die.

AKBfan,

In the coming days more accurate information will gradually come out. I haven't read anywhere about what time she arrived there as of yet. But thanks for that.

Surf Look at the UK papers online. Statement from the SA Police, cctv footage and initial comments from the neighbours. Agree with Tmarie - he has always been a bit full of himslef (although plenty of top athletes need that self belief) but in not a nice way. and always going about guns. and has previous in respect of getting angry with women.

AKBfan,

Yes, BBC reports:" Police say neighbours heard screaming and shouting around the time of the shooting," but not about the time she arrived. Have you a link?

The SA police comment is little more than innuendo about previous "domestic" calls like the one where a woman was asked to leave a party. That seems irrelevant to me.

" Seems he's be involved in an assault on a female in 2009."

From the news," The 19-year-old, a friend of his, was allegedly fighting with her boyfriend during a small get-together.

Pistorius told them to go outside. She later returned to the house alone and allegedly started kicking the doors.

While she was doing this Pistorius opened the door and told her to leave his house. When he closed the door on her, one of the door panels allegedly hit her on the leg."

And that's why the charge was dropped.

The charges were dropped because SHE dropped then, not the cops. I think his past behaviour of boozing and cruising, fights is important in this. I hope it is nothing more than mistaken identity but from some of the things being said, it is very questionable at this time.

tmarie, A little more from the article about the 2009 occurrence,

" "The director of public prosecutions looked at the docket and read all the statements and doctors' reports and decided that the State did not have enough evidence for a successful prosecution," said Inspector Marinda Stoltz."

Surf, I read a different article that states she dropped them, not the cops. Regardless, there have been issues if the cops have been recently called to his place, no?

Police said she was shot four times

4 bullets, all reaching the head and the chest... if it's in the dark because he suspected a burglar, well, he is a damn good shooter, and he should try the Olympics in this discipline.

you would never want to preguess the outcome of a crime like this but my gut feeling is that he hasn't a leg to stand on

" In a "mistaken identity" shooting, which you seemed to be fishing for earlier,"

wipeout, "I" wasn't fishing for whatever, but saying what initially was reported. The facts will bear out as they come to light.

Hey, at least he didn't take PEDs.

You have to wonder if steroid abuse was involved here. I guess time will tell.