COLLEGE PARK, MD — University of Maryland police are asking for the public’s help in finding a 22-year-old student who has been missing since early Friday. Dilan Shaan Ashar was last seen around 2:30 a.m. at Terrapin Trail Garage, according to the University of Maryland Police Department.
Investigators said Ashar was wearing a black University of Maryland hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and white shoes when he was last seen. His family said in a video message that he did not have his cell phone, wallet or any identification with him.
Police have asked anyone who may have seen Ashar or noticed anything unusual near the garage to contact them right away. The department has also shared photos of Ashar with the campus community as the search continues.
Campus video placed Ashar at Terrapin Trail Garage around 2:30 a.m.
Police said their Security Operations Center reviewed video footage and found Ashar on camera near Terrapin Trail Garage in the early morning hours of Oct. 2. That footage helped investigators begin their first searches in the area.
The department said detectives and officers went to the garage soon after the video review to start looking for clues. Police have not said why Ashar was at the garage or where he may have gone next.
Investigators also released screenshots showing Ashar outside the garage on the morning of Oct. 2. They said anyone who was in the area at the time, or who remembers seeing someone who could resemble him, should call police.
Search teams covered woods, garages, parks and Lake Artemesia
Since the missing-person report, patrol officers have checked parking garages, wooded areas, Lake Artemesia and nearby parks, police said. Those searches have been repeated since Friday as officers continue to review the case.
On the evening of Oct. 3, a K-9 track was conducted through the wooded area around Terrapin Trail Garage. Police said that effort did not lead to any sign of Ashar.
The department said the searches have so far produced no results. Officials said they will keep revisiting the locations already searched and expand their efforts to additional areas as needed.
About 50 responders and nine dogs searched roughly 110 acres
On the morning of Oct. 4, police said they carried out a systematic search covering about 110 acres around Terrapin Trail Garage. The operation included close to 50 first responders and nine dogs, making it one of the largest search efforts described in the update.
Later that same afternoon, investigators also used a drone to search the university golf course area. Police said the aerial search was another attempt to find any trace of Ashar after earlier ground efforts came up empty.
Officials have not identified any breakthrough from those searches. The department said every search so far has failed to locate Ashar or provide a clear lead on his whereabouts.
Family says he was missing his phone, wallet and ID
In a video message shared by Ashar’s family, relatives said he was without his phone, wallet and identification at the time he disappeared. That information has added to concern as police continue trying to piece together his movements.
Ashar is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 185 pounds. Police have used that description, along with the clothing he was wearing, to help the public identify him.
The university police department has urged anyone with possible information to call 301-405-3555. Anonymous tips can also be sent through the department’s tip option.
Police continue reviewing video and asking for help from the public
Investigators said they are still reviewing video footage from the campus security system to track Ashar’s last known movements. Police believe more details could emerge if someone recalls seeing him near Terrapin Trail Garage in the early hours of Oct. 2.
The department has continued checking locations that could be connected to the case, including wooded areas and campus-adjacent spots where Ashar may have traveled. Officials said those checks are recurring as the investigation develops.
WMAR-2 News said the case is developing, and police have made clear that any tip, even a small one, could help. For now, the search remains focused on the College Park campus and surrounding areas while officers keep looking for answers.
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