Oscar Pistorius Denied Parole After 10 Years in Prison for Killing Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Former Olympic runner and Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius was denied parole on Friday, more than 10 years after he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The decision was made by South Africa’s parole board after a hearing at a prison in Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital.

The board considered Pistorius’ conduct and disciplinary record in prison, his participation in educational or other training courses during the last decade of incarceration, and his mental and physical state to assess whether the 36-year-old would still pose a threat to public safety.

Pistorius, who was known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prosthetic legs, fired at Steenkamp four times through a locked bathroom door at his home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013. His trial was beamed around the world and details of Steenkamp’s death shocked audiences, while the case instantly ended the career of a pioneering sportsman who made history by competing against able-bodied athletes at the Olympics.

As Steenkamp’s mother June arrived Friday at the parole hearing, she was asked if she believed Pistorius was remorseful. Pistorius will be able to reapply for parole in another year.

The mother of Pistorius, who has been held in prison since 2013, was present at the hearing. The parole board’s decision to deny parole was met with mixed reactions from the public.