Statistics suggest that 18,196 police firearms have been lost or stolen during the five-year period beginning April 1 2005 to March 31 2011.

Beyond the violence, South Africans struggled with the idea that they've lost a hero, an athlete who embodied what it meant to overcome incredible physical odds.

When Pistorius was a toddler, his legs were amputated below the knees because of a bone defect.

Earning the nickname "Blade Runner," Pistorius runs on special carbon fiber blades.

He became the first Paralympic sprinter competing against able-bodied athletes at the London Olympics last year.

His face became a fixture on billboards across the nation, and he and Steenkamp were photographed at high-profile celebrity events and around town.

Hours after the news of his arrest, some of the billboards started coming down.

His sponsors also pulled away.

Nike removed an ad featuring him from its website showing him taking off for a run with the words "I am the bullet in the chamber."

Other Pistorius sponsors -- including prosthetics manufacturer Ossur, British Telecom, and Oakley, which makes sunglasses and other products -- expressed condolences and said they had no further comment.

The sports icon appeared in headlines across the nation, overshadowing the State of the Union address by President Jacob Zuma.

"Golden Boy Loses Shine," read a headline on the front page of the Sowetan.

The Pretoria court postponed Pistorius' bail hearing to Tuesday and ordered him to remain in custody until then. Prosecutors said they will argue that he committed premeditated murder.

Authorities said they will oppose bail, but did not provide their reasons for the decision.

The double amputee's London Olympics appearance brought controversy, as some said the prosthetic limbs gave him an advantage.

Pistorius was initially refused permission to enter the Olympics, but he hired a legal team to prove that his artificial limbs did not give him an unfair advantage, and he was allowed to compete.

While he did not win a medal, his presence on the track was lauded as an example of victory over adversity and dedication to a goal.

In the 2012 Paralympics, held a few weeks after the Olympics, he smashed a record to win the men's 400-meter in the final athletics event of the Games.

In October, he discussed the "massive blessing" of inspiring people around the world.

"Being an international sportsman, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that," he told CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."