A parent’s worst nightmare.
As Nashville has blown up and become a more popular tourist destination over the last decade or so, obviously that means more and more opportunities for bad things to happen. With so many people packed in such a small space among all the bars on Broadway, we’re constantly hearing stories of phones being stolen or people being roofied and robbed in downtown Music City.
Garth Brooks even recently funded a police substation next to his new Nashville bar, Friends in Low Places, in order to help police better handle the massive crowds.
But anywhere there’s massive crowds of people drinking, obviously there’s the potential for bad things to happen, so it’s important to keep your head on a swivel and travel in groups.
And unfortunately one family is desperately searching for their loved one after a 22-year old college student from Missouri went missing on Broadway this weekend.
Riley Strain, a 22-year old student at the University of Missouri, was in town for what was supposed to be a fun weekend for a formal along with 200 other members of his fraternity. But unfortunately, at around 10pm on Friday, Strain got separated from the rest of his group at Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge bar, and hasn’t been seen since.
According to posts on social media, Strain’s phone was last tracked to an area near Public Square Park, a few blocks from Broadway and near a bridge crossing the Cumberland River, at 9:53 PM on Friday. But since then, the phone has been shut off and Strain hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
The location where his phone last pinged is near the Nashville jail, but Riley’s family and friends say that the police have searched the local jails and hospitals with no sign of their missing loved one.
Strain is 6’6″ and 165 lbs, and was last seen wearing a black and white button up shirt, jeans and brown square-toed boots (you can see what he looked like the night he disappeared in the pictures below).
The family is asking for anybody with information on Riley’s location to contact the Metro Nashville Police Department at 615-862-8600.
So if you’re in Nashville right now, or were there this weekend and have any information that may help, keep your eyes out for Riley and let’s help bring him back to his loved ones.
With spring break going on right now and the weather getting nicer, please make sure that if you’re visiting Nashville and partying on Broadway that you stay safe. Make sure you’re always aware of your surroundings, watch your drinks, stay with your friends while you’re out and always travel in groups.
And let’s hope that Riley is found safe soon and able to get back to his family.
