Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius held his head in his hands and cried in open court as he heard the charges against him in Pretoria, South Africa Friday.
Pistorius, 26, was arrested Thursday and charged with shooting his girlfriend, FHM model and upcoming reality star Reeva Steenkamp, 29, at his Pretoria mansion earlier that morning.
A magistrate upgraded the charges from murder to the more serious charge of premeditated murder as it was revealed that Pistorius shot Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door.
Steenkamp was treated by paramedics but she died at the scene in an exclusive gated community that was surrounded by high walls and patrolled by armed guards.
The blond model was cast in a reality TV show that was set to begin filming in Jamaica this weekend. Pistorius was reportedly angry that Steenkamp agreed to appear in the reality TV show.
Pistorius was affectionately dubbed ‘Blade Runner’ for the custom blade style prosthetic legs he wore when he made history by becoming the first double-amputee to compete in the able bodied Olympic games in London this past Summer.
But Friday’s headlines in the South African newspapers read “Blade gunner?”
Police in Pretoria told reporters there had previously been domestic abuse incidents at Pistorius’ home.
But ex-girlfriends of the womanizing playboy took to social media websites to defend him against accusations of domestic abuse yesterday.
“I have dated Oscar on and off for 5 YEARS, NOT ONCE has he EVER lifted a finger to me or made me fear for my life,” tweeted Jenna Edkins, who offered her :love and support” to the Pistorius family.
Others weren’t as supportive.
Trish Taylor, mother of Pistorius’ ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor, wrote on Facebook:
“I’m so glad Sammy is safe and out of the clutches of that man.”
“All I am saying is let him speak, let his side be heard without jumping to conclusions,” tweeted Edkins.
More from Sandrarose.com:
Photo: AP Photo/Antione de Ras; Instagram.com
