ST. LOUIS — Friends said about a year ago, 34-year-old Amarnath Ghosh left his home in India and moved to St. Louis to follow his dancing dreams.
"He was very nice, very friendly and very talented," Hima Kuppa, a friend, said.
"He was traveling a lot for his performances. A lot of organizations called him for performances, but he always wanted to come back to St. Louis," Ravi Kuppa, another friend, said.
5 On Your Side learned Ghosh was getting his master's in the Performing Arts Department of Washington University.
"He was learning ballet and dance. I think it was a full scholarship at Wash U. His ultimate dream was to get his Ph.D. in dance and work full-time with us at our Kuchipudi Art Academy," Hima said.
Ghosh also enjoyed volunteering as a dance instructor at Just Dancing Studios in West St. Louis County.
Ghosh also taught kids between the ages of 5 and 18.
"Dance was his passion. Every kid loved him. He had a really good way to jell with kids and be a kid. We all loved him," Hima said.
"He was passionate about what he was doing. He had lots of dreams," Ravi said.
Police said just after 7 that evening, someone shot Ghosh several times as he walked across the 5100 block of Delmar near Clarendon.
"He was harmless. I think it's about a mile away from his apartment. He loves to jog and the weather was good so maybe he went for a jog or a walk. We don't know," Hima said.
Ghosh died in the street.
"It's heartbreaking to know what happened," Hima said.
"It's a big shock. A really big shock to all of us," Ravi said.
His friends said Ghosh was an only child. His mother died three years ago and his father died when he was a child.
Police have not released any further new information about the case.
As of Friday night, Ghosh's killer has not been caught and his friends pray for an arrest.
"It's not at all right. He had so many followers on Instagram. He had so many reels on dance. He was such a happy person with a very bright future. Someone did this to him and the police should catch them," Hima said.
The following statement released to all Washington University students, faculty and staff, reads:
Dear Washington University Students, Faculty and Staff,
I am deeply saddened to share with you the tragic news of the death of one of our students. We have been informed that Amarnath Ghosh, a graduate student in the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences, died after being shot during an incident that took place in an off-campus St. Louis neighborhood earlier this week. We do not have many details regarding the crime, as the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigation is ongoing.
There are no words to express the pain and anguish Amarnath’s family and friends are experiencing. His death is a terrible shock to us all. This type of senseless violence is beyond comprehension and we are devastated by this loss. To have this happen in our own St. Louis community is especially heartbreaking.
We have been in communication with Amarnath’s close contacts to offer our support and assistance following this tragic event. We also want to make sure that any members of the WashU community reach out for support if needed. Students may contact Counseling and Psychological Services at 314-935-6695 (Danforth Campus), Student Health Services (Medical Campus), or access the TimelyCare app for 24-hour support. Faculty and staff can utilize the Employee Assistance Program, Work-Life Solutions.
We mourn with Amarnath’s family and friends and send our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved him. We hope to share more about his life and the impact he had on so many in future university communication.
Sincerely,
Anna “Dr. G” Gonzalez
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Anyone who has any information about the incident is asked to call the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division at (314) 444-5371 or anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested in a reward can contact Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
A GoFundMe has been set up for Amarnath Ghosh. To donate, click here.