A TikTok star was tragically shot and killed in what police describe as a “gruesome” murder, allegedly carried out by a man she had repeatedly rejected online.
Sana Yousaf, who had just turned 17 last week, was gunned down at her home in Islamabad by an intruder who had been persistently messaging her before arriving at her residence Monday night.
Police say the suspect entered Yousaf’s home after loitering outside. He fired shots repeatedly — killing her instantly with two direct hits.
After killing the teen, who has 1.5 million followers on the popular app, he stole her phone and fled the scene.
Cops have since arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder and have recovered the murder weapon and the social media star’s phone.
Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi told reporters that Yousaf’s death was the result of “repeated rejections.”
“The boy was trying to reach out to her time and again,” Rizvi said. “It was a gruesome and cold-blooded murder.”
Officials said that Yousaf’s murder sparked a “wave of concern” across the country, prompting “immense” pressure on police to find her killer.
The TikTok star’s heartbroken father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, told the BBC that Sana was his only daughter.
Calling her “very brave,” Syed told the outlet that his daughter had never mentioned the suspect, or any threatening behavior before her death.
Syed revealed that the influencer’s aunt was at home when the suspect forcibly entered. The suspect allegedly threatened to shoot her before fleeing the scene.
He added that Sana has since been laid to rest in Chitral, roughly 250 miles from the capital.
The teenager rose to social media fame by speaking out for women’s rights in Pakistan, earning an impressive 1.5 million following on TikTok through her videos.
Hours after her murder, a scheduled post was shared on TikTok that showed her at a recent party for her 17th birthday.
In her heartbreaking final post, she was seen eating pizza with her friends on a roof terrace before cutting a birthday cake.
