How Did Etika Die? New Details On The Tragic Death Of The Beloved YouTube Star At 29 By Suicide

Rest in peace, Etika.

Written on Jun 25, 2019

Add to Bookmarks
How Did Etika Die? New Details On The Tragic Death Of The Beloved YouTube Star YouTube
Advertisement

His body was just found in New York. He was only 29 years old. And the YouTube community is shocked, and saddened, by this development. How did Etika die?

Let's look at what we know about this unfortunate tragedy. 

1. His real name was Daniel Desmond Amofah. 

According to Kotaku, Etika — who was one of the most popular YouTube personalities in the gaming world — was born Daniel Desmond Amofah in Brooklyn, NY. His father, Owuraku, was a politician in his native Ghana. 

Advertisement

"On YouTube, Amofah, 29, amassed a following of more than 800,000 subscribers by playing and streaming Nintendo games. Amofah disappeared on Wednesday night after posting a YouTube video discussing his struggles with suicidal ideation," they wrote. 

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 9999999999999999999 (@etika) on Mar 31, 2019 at 10:50am PDT

Daniel Desmond Amofah was better known by his YouTube name, Etika. 

Advertisement

2. He has had a long history with mental health issues. 

According to The Verge, Etika's mental health issues have been plaguing him since the beginning of his career. However, in recent months, fans began to get extremely worried after his behavior became more erratic. 

"Amofah uploaded pornography to his YouTube channel in October 2018, a clear violation of YouTube’s guidelines, commenting it was “time to die” upon his channel being deactivated. In April, Amofah live-streamed a standoff with New York police, seemingly prompted by several erratic tweets, including one that included a picture of himself posing with a gun. New York police told Kotaku at the time that Amofah was “threatening suicide in the apartment” and had a history of mental health issues. He was later taken to a Brooklyn hospital," they wrote, adding that in the following month, Etika assaulted a police officer and was readmitted to the hospital.

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 9999999999999999999 (@etika) on May 1, 2019 at 1:25am PDT

Etika has struggled with mental health issues.

Advertisement

3. Etika's belongings were found on the Manhattan Bridge. 

According to Inside Edition, people feared the worst when Etika's belongings were found on the Manhattan Bridge, which is one of the bridges that connects Brooklyn to the island of Manhattan. 

"Amofah’s cell phone, New York State driver’s license, debit card, metro card and wallet were found on the bridge, as well as a Nintendo Switch, laptop bag and assorted clothing, the source said," per the outlet.

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 9999999999999999999 (@etika) on May 29, 2019 at 2:22pm PDT

Etika's belongings were found on the Manhattan Bridge. 

Advertisement

4. The NYPD pulled Etika's body from the East River today. 

According to The New York Post, everyone's worst fears were confirmed when the NYPD pulled Etika's body out of the East River today. 

"The body of popular Brooklyn YouTube star Etika was pulled from the East River Monday, authorities said Tuesday. The body of the 29-year-old YouTuber was found at around 6:20 p.m. Monday near the South Street Seaport," they reported, adding that the NYPD confirmed Etika's death in a Tweet. 

Our thoughts are with Etika's family and friends during this difficult time. 

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts, The National Suicide Prevention Hotline in the U.S. is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255. 

Advertisement
More for You:
Taylor Swift's Former Classmate Explains Why 'People Hated Her' In High School
How To Spot A REAL Narcissist (And Not Just A Bad Person)
Boss Uses ‘Wobbly Chair Test’ In Every Interview And Avoids Hiring Job Candidates That Fail
Why Tom Cruise Chooses Not To See His Daughter 11 Years After Their Last Sighting Together
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by 9999999999999999999 (@etika) on Apr 30, 2019 at 1:06pm PDT

Rest in peace, Etika.

Advertisement

Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.