Oscar pistorius

[spiderbabymum]

Heard the news this am

I'm just Devastated for him and his family and partners family

Apparently she was sneaking in as a Valentine surprise?

My condolences go to her and her family, utterly tragic.

I heard that on LBC - so sad if that is the case.

In SA most people have guns due to the violence (I know ironic) but burglary is so commonplace and the burglars will often tie the family up and rape the women. This happened to friends of a friend who were missionaries out there. His wife and two daughters were violently raped while he was knocked unconscious and left for dead.

Heard it on ITV Rhiannon86.

Says that here too.

I have no doubt the truth will never be known about this case, celebrity and DV don't bode well for the truth.
Either way he's a murderer.

I am beyond gutted, I genuinely respected him.

My twat radar clearly needs further tuning.

The police are to give a press conference later today. Perhaps at will cut through some of the speculation. Pistorius is to appear in court later today, but no word about what charges.

her tweets from yesterday and the timing of it (she didn't live with him) suggest it was a surprise visit, and that he would have been asleep when she came into his room. As someone already said, if it's a burglar, why go for the head / chest, however would you necessarily know where the hell you're aiming in the dark when you've been woken up and are scared sh*tless? Won't necessarily get him off a manslaughter charge however. Any SA lawyers here who know what the test of m'slaughter is in SA?

Tweet from BBC Sport just now: "South African police will be opposing bail for Oscar Pistorius and say there are "other witnesses" to the shooting."

All very sad. :(

And another tweet from BBC Sport: "South African police say there have been "previous incidents" at the home of Oscar Pistorius of "a domestic nature"."

My thoughts go to her family, poor poor things how bloody awful. At the end of the day their daughter and loved one was murdered whether by accident or deliberate, her family have to live with that for the rest of their lives. Everything else is just pure speculation at the moment.

How awful .

SKY carried a statement by the South African police live.

The police officer said at he had arrested, the charge is murder, he will appear in court this afternoon and the police will oppose bail. The investigation is ongoing, forensics teams are at the house, possible witnesses (neighbours) will be interviewed this morning. There were no other people in the house, and she disavowed the speculation about a possible intruder as not originating from the police. There had been previous incidents at the house of a domestic nature.

She did not name the victim, as formal identification has not yet taken place. However Reeva Steenkamp's publicist has given an interview about how saddened she is about her death.

I hope that the DV thing is not true.

Coming from SA - you live on edge and living in a gated, secure complex doesn't give you any surety that you are not going to be robbed. Unfortunately, crime in SA has an awful edge to it - women are routinely raped, beaten and families murdered. It is not unusual for my parents to wake up in their Jhb neighbourhood and hear gunshot. I think the unfortunate thing is now it is shoot to kill and ask questions later ...

I was appalled by the way the news was covered this morning - possibly I need to listen to a better class of radio station (Xfm) but the newsreader and the DJ were babbling on about how dreadful this was for him and he is such an icon, this will destroy him - erm... a woman is dead! But that appears to account for nothing if the killer is famous

I am from Cape Town and living there is certainly not "living on the edge". My family have never owned any weapons and do not live in fear. It is actually a lovely place to live, but there are more dangerous places. I would imagine that if you were the type to own a gun in South Africa, that you would shoot to kill if someone broke into your home because burglars have been known to kill. But it is also widely publicised that if you own a gun there is a very high chance of you dying by that gun.

If this is DV I'll be so sad. I did think him a bit of a hero.

And yes, reading that post by Lovecat, it is horrible for that woman and her family. Tragic.

"In SA *most people have guns?" No one we know! Yes lots do, not most. People don't live in fear but there's a siege mentality, heightened alert. I only really noticed this by its absence when we were on hol in Uk. Apparently police opposing bail.
Wonder if DV issue- huge here and there was a horrible recent gang rape/murder of a young teen which has been much debated here (but not in foreign press!)

3.00pm news on now - Pistorius has been charged with murder.

murder? not manslaughter? Does SA law differentiate?

It looks as if the story about him mistaking her for an intruder was pure speculation on the part of the South African media. The police have now said that neighbours reported hearing screaming and shouting earlier on in the evening.

There is a distinction apparently between 1st and 2nd degree in RSA.. intentional and otherwise... but he's charged with murder. The RSA police mentioned being called to other events/disturbances at the same property in the past... not information the British police would give out in a press conference under similar circumstances, admittedly. All the rumours about burglars and valentine surprise visits, the police say they know nothing about.