(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)

South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" for his racing prosthetics, was arrested on Thursday (February 14) after his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in Pretoria.

Police said they had opened a murder case after a 30-year-old woman was found dead at the scene in the upmarket Silverlakes gated community on the outskirts of the capital.

Police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said a 9 mm pistol was found at the scene and a 26-year-old man taken into custody. In South Africa police do not identify suspects until they are charged in court.

Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702 said Pistorius was believed to have shot his girlfriend, a model, in the head and arm, although the circumstances were unclear. He may have mistaken her for a burglar, the radio report said.

Pistorius, who races wearing carbon fibre prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics and reached the 400 metre semi-finals in London 2012.