Weapons Expert Testifies Pistorius Has ‘Love’ For Guns

A firearms expert testifying in the murder trial of former Olympian Oscar Pistorius said Monday that the double-amputee accused of killing his girlfriend had “a great love and enthusiasm” for guns.

Sean Rens, who runs a firearms training academy and trained with the man known as “Blade Runner” in 2012, recalled Pistorius looking to collect guns at the time, the Associated Press reports. He said that in one conversation, Pistorius told him that noise in his home prompted him to go through all the rooms with his weapon drawn.

‘‘He went into what we call ‘code red’ or combat mode,’’ Rens said. ‘‘When he came to the source of the noise, it was the laundry or something.’’

Pistorius is accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp in South Africa after the two argued. He says he shot at her accidentally through a bathroom door thinking she was an intruder. If convicted, he could face a life sentence in prison. Gory images of her displayed in court and other testimony have often made Pistorius sick during the trial.

[AP]