South African track star Oscar Pistorius — who became an Olympic legend by becoming the first person to race on prosthetic legs — was being questioned today by South African police for allegedly shooting his girlfriend dead at his home in Pretoria, according to reports.
Pistorius apparently shot his girlfriend in the head and arm, although the circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear, Johannesburg’s Talk Radio 702 reported. He may have mistaken her for a burglar.
A police spokeswoman said a woman had been found dead at the house, but declined to give details.
South Africa has some of the world’s highest rates of violent crime and some homeowners carry weapons to defend themselves against intruders.
Pistorius, known as Blade Runner, was born without a fibula in both legs and races wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades. He was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics and reached the semifinals of the 400 meters in the 2012 London Games.
Pistorius, one of the most heart-warming stories of the London Olympics, was the flag-bearer at the closing ceremonies for South Africa.
At the time, he tweeted, “Really feel honored … what a great ending to the games it’ll be.”
Controversy surrounded Pistorius leading up to the Olympics because some questioned whether running with carbon fiber blades gave him an unfair advantage in the races.