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title: Pistorius Describes Shooting Steenkamp, Says He Was ‘Besotted’ With Her | TIME
description: Oscar Pistorius took the stand once again in his own defense Tuesday, this time describing the moment he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius broke down describing the moment he realized he’d shot his girlfriend and not an intruder.
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# Pistorius Describes Shooting Steenkamp, Says He Was ‘Besotted’ With Her

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8GxTioXK.m3u8" -->
## Video: Pistorius Describes Shooting Steenkamp, Says He Was ‘Besotted’ With Her

[Watch (HLS stream): Pistorius Describes Shooting Steenkamp, Says He Was ‘Besotted’ With Her](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8GxTioXK.m3u8) (1:59)

![Pistorius Describes Shooting Steenkamp, Says He Was ‘Besotted’ With Her](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/8GxTioXK/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2014-04-08. Oscar Pistorius took the stand once again in his own defense Tuesday, this time describing the moment he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius broke down describing the moment he realized he’d shot his girlfriend and not an intruder._


---

Jul 27, 2023 4:22 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Reeva Steenkamp's Father's Emotional Testimony](/video/BDdch220/)

### Reeva Steenkamp's Father's Emotional Testimony

[Judge Rules Pistorius Didn’t Murder Steenkamp, Verdict Wraps Friday](/video/sVyYoI26/)

### Judge Rules Pistorius Didn’t Murder Steenkamp, Verdict Wraps Friday

[Oscar Pistorius Releases Statement On Anniversary Of Steenkamp's Death](/video/aJQbIlNP/)

### Oscar Pistorius Releases Statement On Anniversary Of Steenkamp's Death

---


## Transcript

Oscar Pistorius takes the stand in his own defense, this time, describing the moment he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. What I perceived to be somebody coming out of the toilet, before I knew it I had fired four shots at the door. Pistorius maintains he was trying to defend himself when he shot Steenkamp three times through that bathroom door, valentine's day last year. The double amputee and former South African Olympian says he couldn't get to his prosthetic legs when he heard a noise from the bathroom, and felt vulnerable thinking Steenkamp was an intruder. While prosecutors say the two were in an argument and witnesses heard loud voices before the gunshots.

Pistorius says he was devastated, breaking down the door to get to his fallen girlfriend. [ NOISE ] I don't know how long I was there for. [ SOUND ] She wasn't breathing. The judge adjourned court just after that moment. Pistorius chose not to testify on camera, but the emotion you hear has marked much of the trial. The BBC reports court officials even placed a bucket nearby in case he got sick on the stand. As the only eye witness to what truly happened to Steenkamp, many outlets covering the trial see Pistorius' testimony as the key to the trial. Decide, by looking at all of the surrounding evidence that is proven, that isn't just one person's word against another.

Whether she thinks his version is more believable. Earlier in the day, Pistorius' attorneys tried to portray a relationship with the couple very much in love. He testified if anything, I was more into her at times than she was with me. I was besotted with her. With Pistorius as the first amputee sprinter to ever compete in the Olympics, and Steenkamp, an up and coming model. The two were darlings of their home country before the killing. If convicted Pistorious faces a life sentence with 25 years in prison before he's eligible for parole. I'm Jamal Andrews.

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