A few months ago, people around the world cheered for the double-amputee sprinting in the 2012 Summer Olympics, Oscar Pistorius. Dubbed “the Blade Runner” Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee to win an able-bodied track medal.
Now, he’s making headlines again after being charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Yesterday, Pistorius made a public statement in court claiming he thought his girlfriend was an intruder and her death was an accident.
Steenkamp was a law school graduate and model who recently appeared on a reality TV show in South Africa. On Sunday, South Africans heard Steenkamp’s voice one last time as she spoke of leaving the reality show.
“I’m going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much,” Steenkamp said.
This goodbye was her last on-camera appearance.
Pistorius said in his statement that Steenkamp came to his house on Feb. 13 for a quiet dinner and when he got up in the early hours the next day to close the balcony door, he heard noises coming from the bathroom.
Pistorius said he has been a victim of violence and burglary in the past and panicked in the dark. Pistorius said he then grabbed his pistol and shot, yelling for the intruder to get out.
“I fired shots at the toilet door and shouted to Reeva to phone the police. She did not respond and I moved backwards out of the bathroom, keeping my eye on the bathroom entrance,” Pistorius said in his statement. “Everything was pitch-dark in the bedroom and I was still too scared to switch on a light.”
During court, ABC News reported Pistorius sobbed at every mention of Steenkamp.
Prosecutors, however, said they think something different happened the night of the shooting.
Prosecutors said they don’t accept Pistorius’ claim that he mistook Steenkamp for a burglar because it made no sense for an intruder to hide behind a locked bathroom door. Prosecutors suggested Pistorius purposely shot through the door after the couple got into a heated argument.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper tweeted a quote from fellow CNN anchor and correspondent Robyn Curnow: “He seems to have made a number of phone calls … the one phone call he didn’t make was to the police.”
The hashtag #Pistorius is currently a topic trending on Twitter, with followers sharing many different opinions. Some tweets are in support of Pistorius, but others are criticizing the Olympic athlete.
Former sponsor, Nike announced it will not feature him in its ads during the near future. Eyewear maker Oakley, Inc. posted an email statement saying the company suspended Pistorius’ contract, “effective immediately.”
