(Reuters) - South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar
Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" for his racing prosthetics, was
arrested on Thursday after his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in
Pretoria.
Police said they had opened a murder case after a
30-year-old woman was found dead at the scene in the upmarket
Silverlakes gated community on the outskirts of the capital.
"We
found a 9 mm pistol at the scene. A 26-year-old man was taken into
custody," police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said. In South Africa police
do not identify suspects until they are charged in court.
Johannesburg's
Talk Radio 702 said Pistorius was believed to have shot his girlfriend,
a model, in the head and arm, although the circumstances were unclear.
He may have mistaken her for a burglar, the radio report said.
Reeva
Steenkamp was reported to have been dating Pistorius for a year. In the
social pages of last weekend's Sunday Independent, she described
Pistorius as having "impeccable" taste.
"His gifts are always thoughtful," she was quoted as saying.
Pistorius,
who races wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades after he was born
without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in
the Olympics and reached the 400 meter semi-finals in London 2012.
In
last year's Paralympics he suffered his first loss over 200 meters in
nine years. After the race he sullied his media darling persona somewhat
by questioning the legitimacy of Brazilian winner Alan Oliveira's
prosthetic blades. The comments sparked controversy though Pistorius was
quick to express his regret.
South Africa has some of the
world's highest rates of violent crime and many home owners have weapons
to defend themselves against intruders.
In 2004, Springbok rugby
player Rudi Visagie shot dead his 19-year-old daughter after he
mistakenly thought she was a robber trying to steal his car in the
middle of the night.
Pistorius did not answer his mobile phone on
Thursday. His agent told Reuters he had not spoken to Pistorius but his
lawyers were with him.
Pistorius is sponsored by British
telecoms firm BT, sunglasses maker Oakley, sports apparel maker Nike and
French designer Thierry Mugler.
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