COLLEGE PARK, MD — A University of Maryland student who had been missing since Oct. 2 has been found and reunited with his family, according to the University of Maryland Police Department. Police said 22-year-old Dilan Shaan Ashar is safe after a search that drew in officers, drones and campus community members.
UMPD thanked students and other supporters who shared information as the case developed. Police had described the matter as a critical missing-person investigation and had asked for the public’s help after Ashar was last seen in the early morning hours near the Terrapin Trail Garage.
Last known sighting near Terrapin Trail Garage
Police said Ashar was captured on surveillance video at the Terrapin Trail Garage around 2:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Investigators said he was last seen walking across a bridge near the garage on the north side of campus.
The location sits near the university’s athletic facilities and borders the facilities management area, with a wooded area nearby. That setting helped shape the search area as officers tried to determine where Ashar might have gone after the last confirmed sighting.
The family said he did not have his cellphone, wallet or identification with him when he disappeared, a detail that added to concerns during the search.
How police searched the area around campus
UMPD said investigators carried out a methodical search covering roughly 110 acres around the garage. Officers also used a drone to check the wooded area and the university’s golf course as part of the effort.
Police said routine patrols were also focused on parking garages, wooded areas, Lake Artemesia and nearby parks. The search extended beyond the immediate spot where Ashar was last seen as officers tried to cover likely routes and surrounding terrain.
The scale of the response showed how seriously police treated the disappearance, particularly because the student had not been seen for several days after the initial sighting.
Campus community helped push the search forward
As the investigation continued, UMPD released new photos of Ashar on Tuesday and again asked the public to help identify his whereabouts. Police said the outreach was part of the effort to keep the case visible while officers continued searching.
The university also shared a video in which Ashar’s family made an emotional appeal for his safe return. His mother said in the video, “Dilan, we love you so much and we hope you are safe. We want you home.”
UMPD said it appreciated the support from Terps and community members who shared the case and helped spread awareness while the search was underway.
Police confirm the student is safe
Police later announced that Ashar had been located and reunited with family. UMPD said he was safe, but did not provide additional details about where he was found or what led to the reunion.
The update brought an end to a search that had stretched from the initial report of his disappearance through several days of widespread effort on and around campus. For the university community, the announcement marked a relief after an uncertain week.
UMPD’s message also underscored the role of the community response, saying the search was helped by the “immense efforts” of police and supporters who continued to share information.
What remains known about the disappearance
Officials have not said why Ashar disappeared or what happened during the time he was missing. The public details released by police focused on the timeline, the search area and the eventual reunion with his family.
For now, the central facts are straightforward: Ashar was last seen near the Terrapin Trail Garage in the early hours of Oct. 2, police searched the surrounding campus landscape, and he has now been found safe. The university’s police department said the case ended with the student back with his family.
That outcome closed a case that had prompted a large response from campus police and concern across the University of Maryland community.
When the weather turns dangerous, SVH Snow is watching.
