The NYPD have confirmed the death of Desmond “Etika” Amofah after they discovered his body in Manhattan’s East River Monday night. The news comes two days after some of Amofah’s belongings were found on the Manhattan Bridge. Last week, the YouTuber posted a video that seemed to express suicidal thoughts and mental distress. Amofah was just 29 years old.
We regret to inform that Desmond Amofah aka Etika has been found deceased. https://t.co/sedwZZxglw
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) June 25, 2019
In the since-removed video, Amofah recorded what seemed like a goodbye to his fans, saying things like “it was a fun life … But for it to be cut so short—it’s fucked.” Nobody was able to contact Amofah after the posting of the video.
The beloved creator was born in Brooklyn, and amassed a large YouTube following after he began recording gaming-centric videos (specifically Nintendo) back in 2012. Since then, “Etika” had garnered over 800,000 followers, whom he referred to as JoyCon Boyz (named after the Nintendo Switch’s controllers), across the YouTube and Twitch platforms. The gaming community revered him for his passion and infectious personality.
Last week’s concerning video was not Amofah’s first public struggle with his mental health. Last October, he deleted his YouTube channel and posted suicidal references on Reddit. In April, Amofah was detained and hospitalized for threats of suicide, and he was hospitalized once again in May after an altercation with a police officer.
YouTube Creators offered their condolences via Twitter:
If you or someone you care about is struggling, please know you are not alone. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255 in the U.S. or find support worldwide at https://t.co/r2jD601Wgj
— YouTube Creators (@YTCreators) June 25, 2019
Amofah’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255 and can be reached at any time.