Police in South Africa have charged Olympic hero, and Paralympic Superstar Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius with murder. He is expected in court later today to be arraigned on the charges.
Pistorius’ girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp,30 years old, was a model. She was known for using Twitter to speak out on issues of rape and abuse of women. Early this morning Steenkamp was found dead in the couple’s home in Pretoria. Police reports indicate that she had been shot four times.
Pistorius, 26 years old, was picked up for questionning and then finally arrested by police. The double amputee is one of the most successful athletes in paralympic history, and was one of the brightest stories of the London Olympics when he made history by sprinting around the track on his metal “blade runners”. It was an inspiring moment for all people with disabilities and showed the triumph of the human spirit.
However it would appear that things have come crashing down for Pistorius on this Valentine’s day. While its true that he is innocent until proven guilty, and we do not want to condemn the man before all the facts are in, the best case scenario here is that he has lost a loved one in a tragic murder. The worst is that he committed said crime. Obviously this is not the storybook ending that we all envisioned for a man that inspired so many.
This incident is probably the most high profile athlete to face a murder charge since the famous O.J. Simpson trial nearly twenty years ago. Given the beloved athlete involved in Pistorius, and the serious issues of violence against women in his home country of South Africa, this trial has the opportunity to be just as controversial and polarizing an event as that was.
Stay tuned to LWOS and we’ll have more info on this story as it becomes available.
photo credit: Will Clayton via photopin cc
