Highlights:
Indian-American student, Dilan Shaan Ashar's parents last heard from their son on Thursday (1), at around 6 p.m. It was an ordinary moment. Hours later, he was gone.
Nearly a week on, the 22-year-old University of Maryland student is still missing, and his family is left waiting, hoping and asking strangers for help.
Last seen on camera
Ashar was seen leaving his residence around 2 a.m. on Friday (2). About half an hour later, at around 2:30 a.m., cameras captured him at the Terrapin Trail Garage on the College Park campus. It is the last time anyone is known to have seen him.
New surveillance images released by campus police on Tuesday (6) show him walking outside the garage. He was wearing a black University of Maryland hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and white shoes. He is about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 185 pounds.
He left behind the things most people never go anywhere without.
"As stated by Dilan's family, he is without his cell phone, wallet, and any identification. We will continue to do our part. But we need your help in continuing to look for Dilan," University of Maryland Police said in a Facebook post.
A mother's message
In a video released by police, his mother spoke directly to her son.
"Dilan, we love you so much and we hope you are safe. We want you home."
His family has described him as a kind, thoughtful young man who cares deeply about people. Ashar is a psychology student at the university.
His mother, Binita Ashar, has turned to social media for help.
"Our son Dilan Ashar is missing, and we need your help," she wrote in a Facebook post.
"Please share this post, especially with anyone in College Park, Greenbelt, Hyattsville, or the UMD community. Instead of messaging us, the best thing you can do is share it. We are grateful for every share," she added. "Dilan, if you see this, we love you so much. You are not in trouble, and you don't need to explain anything. We just want you home. Call or text us anytime, day or night."
Days of searching, no answers
Police have classified Ashar as critically missing. Officers have searched parking garages, wooded areas, Lake Artemesia and nearby parks every day since Friday.
"Since the initial report on Friday (2), our patrol officers conducted checks of parking garages, wood lines, Lake Artemesia, and nearby parks. These checks have been re-occurring since Friday," police said, adding that all the searches have "yielded no results."
On Sunday (4), a search of about 110 acres near the garage found no sign of him. Investigators have also used drones and K-9 teams, scanning the woods near the garage and the area around the university's golf course.
For now, his family's hope rests on the public. Every share, every tip and every second look at a face in a crowd could matter.
Anyone with information about Ashar's whereabouts is urged to contact University of Maryland Police at 301-405-3555 or submit an anonymous tip at https://umpd.umd.edu/contact-us/submit-tip.
