Popular YouTube star Etika confirmed dead by NYPD

Daniel Desmond ‘Etika‘ Amofah, 29, a popular YouTube personality who went missing on June 19, has been found dead.

His death was confirmed by the New York City Police Department, following a five-day search.

His body was recovered from the East River, just half a mile away from the Manhattan Bridge, where it is suspected he jumped.

A collection of his personal belongings including a Nintendo Switch console, his wallet, and his driver’s license were found by Manhattan Bridge on the night of June 19, just a few hours after he was reported missing.

Etika was a popular YouTube personality with a love for Nintendo.

The discovery of his belongings led to widespread speculation that he jumped from the bridge, after he uploaded a scheduled YouTube video titled ‘I’m sorry’ which heavily alluded to suicide.

Speaking to Kotaku, NYPD stated: “At approximately 18:18 hours [June 24], police responded to a 9-11 call with a person floating in the water in the vicinity of the South Street Seaport in the confines of the 1st Precinct. Upon arrival, officers discovered an unresponsive, unidentified male at that location. The NYPD harbor removed the male to Pier 16, where EMS pronounced him deceased. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing.”

Etika had a large following on YouTube and Twitch, with over 800,000 subscribers, and was best known for content on Nintendo games particularly.

He had a history of mental health issues, and was sectioned earlier in 2019 after a violent altercation with police. He had also made previous suicidal threats and messages on social media.

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If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or know anyone that is, and you would like to talk to someone, please reach out and call the Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (USA) or the Samaritans 116-123 (UK).