Riley Strain disappearance: Tennessee ABC investigates Luke Bryan's Nashville bar on overserving claims
The search for Riley Strain, the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who went missing during a visit to Nashville on March 8, intensified late Wednesday as the city's office of emergency management deployed two boats outfitted with sonar technology on the Cumberland River.
But crews were unable to locate the missing man after they searched for hours along the riverbank around Nashville in coordination with the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Strain was last seen at about 10 p.m. Friday night shortly after he got kicked out of Luke Bryan's Broadway bar.
He was reported missing the next day.
As search efforts stretched into Thursday, a new kind of investigation was getting underway. The Tennessee Alcohol and Beverage Commission has launched a probe into Luke Bryan's downtown bar, Luke's 32 Bridge, to see whether the bar overserved Strain before kicking him out.
TABC director of legislation, policy and communication Aaron Rummage told The Tennessean in a statement that the investigation will determine if any violation occurred. Rummage declined to provide any additional details about what led to the investigation.
TC Restaurant Group, operator and owner of Bryan's Luke's 32 Bridge, said Wednesday in an Instagram story that they are working with MNPD to provide security camera footage in the search for Strain.
"Y'all, this is scary. Praying for his safe return," Bryan said in an Instagram story post.
Crews had searched the riverbank once before, on Tuesday, to determine if Strain had washed ashore or if he had fallen near the river after surveillance video showed the 22-year-old stumble along and across Nashville streets in areas close to the Cumberland. Strain was last seen on video surveillance Friday around 9:52 p.m. near Gay and 1st Avenue.
He is 6'5" tall with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. Digital billboards with his picture, description and case details have sprouted up around Nashville.
Authorities have searched for Strain by foot, helicopter, drone and boat.
Strain was out with a group of Delta Chi fraternity brothers Friday night when he got kicked out of Luke Bryan's bar.
His friend told police that they got separated and the group lost sight of Strain, according to a police report. They tried using his location on Snapchat to find him but were unsuccessful. Calls to Strain went straight to voicemail, the report said, and he was not found at their hotel on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, about five blocks from the bar.
Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at [email protected] and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee ABC probes Luke Bryan bar after Riley Strain goes missing