A bizarre story.
Nashville police are asking for the public’s help locating a Colorado man who was in town for a work conference.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, 31-year-old Conor Anderson checked into the Millennium Maxwell House hotel on Saturday, August 15 and attended a Foo Fighters concert at Nissan Stadium later that evening.
But things took a bizarre turn early Sunday morning when Anderson flagged down two police officers in East Nashville around 1:00 AM to report being robbed and threatened outside of a bar in the area.
According to Anderson, he had met the man inside of the bar, and when they got outside he paid him $20 to “show him around the area.” He says the man left with the money, and when he confronted his friends about it, he was threatened:
“I can’t remember if he demanded or he ended up getting another $20 from me. And then him and his friends acted like nothing happened. And then they threatened me with violence.”
Officers were clearly skeptical of Anderson’s story, and questioned him on whether he was telling the truth:
“Were you trying to buy drugs? Because you gave him $20, he ignored you, and then you followed him outside, then you gave him another $20, he ignored you and he left, and then you’re just here by yourself and you’re heavily intoxicated. Because your story isn’t exactly making sense right now.”
Anderson denies that he was trying to buy drugs, despite admitting that he understood that’s what it looked like. He ultimately declined to provide identification to file an official police report, and officers encouraged him to get an Uber back to his hotel.
But the hotel says Anderson never returned, and that he missed his check out time the next day.
The man’s family has since traveled to Nashville to try to find their loved one, and in a message posted to Facebook called the disappearance “completely out of character” for Anderson.
According to his family, Anderson entered Up-Down bar shortly after his interaction with police on Sunday morning, and left about five minutes later after having a drink. That was the last time he was seen, and his family says that his phone has not pinged and that there has been no activity on his credit cards.
“Conor is an incredible person who is deeply loved by his family and friends. Wherever he is, we just need to find him. We need to bring Conor home.”
The area where Anderson was last seen is a popular hotspot in the growing East Nashville neighborhood, one where locals often hang out and right near popular East Nashville music venue the Basement East. But it’s also a little off the beaten path for tourists, so it might not be as familiar for someone who’s not from Nashville and generally spends time on Broadway.
Anyone with information on Anderson is being encouraged to call the Metro Nashville Police Department at 615-862-8600.
Let’s hope that he’s brought home safe and that it turns out to be a big misunderstanding.
