Etika Found Dead in the East River, NYPD Confirms (2023)

Etika via You TubeEtika

Popular streamer Etika has been found dead in the East River days after posting a final video to YouTube titled “I’m Sorry.” The NYPD says Etika’s body was recovered near the Manhattan Bridge, where the 29-year-old YouTuber, whose real name was Daniel Desmond Amofah, had been seen in his last video.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Etika had a history of mental health issues and eight months ago, needed to be forcibly hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. Etika’s fans and friends were frantically searching for him amid fears that he scheduled his “I’m Sorry” video to be posted after he took his own life. The video was posted on Wednesday, June 19. He was found dead on June 25.

It wasn’t the first time he’s threatened to take his own life. Back in October, he sent his followers into a deep fear after writing “It’s my turn to die” on Reddit, and then a few hours later to write, “Guys I’m fine, please stop worrying about me LOL. You know I like to be overdramatic. Carry on!!”

On June 20, You Tube removed Etika’s “I’m Sorry” video from the site for violating its terms. However, clips from the original post were saved and shared by his followers and subscribers on Twitter.

The Video Caused Mass Confusion About Whether It Was a Real Final Message or a Prank

There was mass confusion online as to whether or not to take Etika’s threat seriously. The responses online were a mixture of fear, sadness, confusion, worry, and those who believe Etika was once again clowning around.

His Ex-Girlfriend Alice Pitka Spoke Out to Say She Didn’t Know What Was Happening

His ex-girlfriend, Alice Pika, a gamer who rose to fame testing new Nintendo products, seemed to confirm that she had no idea what’s happening. She tweeted “Sorry to everyone I haven’t responded to, I’m fine and just got off the phone with a special someone… But enough about me! I don’t know anymore than what you guys know about Etika but that’s because he chose not to share that info with me, and I’m choosing not to investigate.”

She followed that tweet up by saying, “He hasn’t reached out to me and I’m not going to call him again. Only if he feels like he needs my help will I help him but of course there will be limits. I’m not even sure his friends would answer my calls if I tried, that’s how bad my relationship with that man is.”

Pitka closed on her thoughts on the matter with a positive note, posting photos of Etika’s favorite cats for everyone to
“have faith” that he’s okay.

Etika Appeared to Hint at His Plans in Previous Videos

During a chat Etika appears to ask “When should I have my next mental break down ya’ll?” to which someone answered, “June 20. A few days after most people should be out of school.” Etika then responded, “gotchu imma put that sh*t in my calendar.”

Keem, who Etika makes a shout out to in his “I’m Sorry” video, tweeted that he was trying to make contact with him, and is worried since the video appears to have been a scheduled upload at exactly midnight.

The NYPD Were Investigating

Overall, there was a lot of fake and misinformation floating around Twitter. The NYPD was involved from early on to help investigate Etika’s whereabouts. Police reported that while canvassing the Manhattan Bridge area, they found his belongings, which include his New York driver’s license, wallet, cell phone, black and red Nintendo Switch, and laptop bag, which contained a pair of boxers, a shirt, shorts, and headphones.

In his final video, Etika wrote:

“I’m sorry for betraying all of your trust. I’m sorry for the manipulative things I’ve done, and I’m sorry I never sought help for myself.
I’ve made my bed, and now I’ve got to sleep in it. Please learn from my example. Don’t be like me. Don’t push away the people that care about you.
I’ve always lived my life as a ?, so I guess that’s all my “legacy” will amount up to. Don’t let this social media shit consume you the way it did me. I pushed away and hurt so many of you.
The good times however! MAN were they good. I’ve lived an incredible life filled with thrills and happiness. Even though I always was an odd ball out, I used that as my strength and brought together an incredible community of insane wild bois just like me. God I’ll miss you all so much.
I was mentally troubled, and far to stoneheaded to admit it, far too stubborn to face it, and far too scared now to deal with it.
God… I’m so sorry I hurt you all so badly. I’m so sorry I betrayed you all. I mislead so many of you, I manipulated, I lied, I shifted blame… I don’t know what awaits me on the other side, but I’m ready to face it.
As far as we know, there is no life after death. My time ends now, but if there is a way for me too, I’ll send you all as many blessings as I can from the other side.
Thank you all for helping to making my life the incredible tale it was. ✨ I’m sorry it had to end on such a heartbreaking note. Though I know for SURE hella people are gonna prolly laugh at it LOL I just hope there’s at least some fresh me-me’s that come of it. I’m dying as a guy hated by a lot of people, so I know you all won’t let me down haha.
Well, that’s my cue. Time for me to go. I mean this with every bit of my heart…
Take care of yourselves, and of course, as usual, please have yourself a damn good one.