Reeva Steenkamp murder: Oscar Pistorius to face additional charges

(UPI) -- Prosecutors have added two gun charges against Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who is on trial for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day.

Pistorius will face reckless and negligent discharge of a firearm charges for allegedly firing a gun twice in a public place. Both alleged incidents took place before the February shooting death of Steenkamp, once at a restaurant and once through the sunroof of his car. He will also face a lesser charge for having 38 rounds of unlicensed ammunition at his home.

The 26-year-old South African claims he thought heard an intruder in his home in Pretoria and went for his gun, firing several times through the door of the bathroom. Steenkamp was found shot in the head, arm and hip.

Key to the case appears to be whether Pistorius was wearing his prosthetic legs: he claims he wasn't, while the prosecution, which alleges he killed Steenkamp in a domestic incident, says he was. The prosecution said he took time to put on his legs, then stalk Steenkamp into the bathroom after a fight.

Pistorius said he had gotten up in the middle of the night to move a fan, heard something in the bathroom and fired, only realizing it was Steenkamp after seeing she was not in bed. He said he pried open the door with a cricket bat, then carried her downstairs shouting for help.

The trial is scheduled to begin March 3, and if convicted, Pistorius faces life in prison.