Luke Bryan‘s Nashville bar is being investigated for allegedly overserving college student Riley Strain before he vanished.
Tennessee officials confirmed on Wednesday, March 13, that they are looking into Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink. Strain was asked to leave the downtown establishment when he was last seen on March 8.
“We are investigating whether Mr. Strain was served alcohol while he was visibly intoxicated,” Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission communications director Aaron Rummage told NBC News.
According to local NBC affiliate WSMV, Strain was visiting Nashville on a trip with his University of Missouri fraternity for a spring formal. He was asked to leave Bryan’s bar at 9:45 p.m. and told his friends he was walking back to his hotel.
Strain’s stepfather, Chris Whiteid, said in an interview on Top Story With Tom Llamas that he never made it back to the hotel. Surveillance footage showed Strain seemingly taking a wrong turn on the way to where he was staying.
University of Missouri officials released a statement on Monday, March 11, noting they’ve been “in touch with the family and authorities” in Nashville who are working to find Strain.
Officers continue to work to locate missing person Riley Strain, 22, who was last seen Fri. night by friends @ a Broadway bar in Nashville. Riley is from Missouri and was visiting. He is 6’5″ tall with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. See him? Pls call 615-862-8600. pic.twitter.com/daqKDWGJJO
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 11, 2024
“The safety of our community is our highest priority,” said Angela King Taylor, interim vice chancellor for Student Affairs. “Our thoughts are with Riley’s family as the search continues. We will be offering any support to them that we can, and we encourage anyone who needs help to reach out to our counseling resources.”
TC Restaurant Group, which operates and owns Luke’s 32 Bridge, previously agreed to provide security camera footage and other information to help the authorities.
“In our effort to help the Nashville Metro Police Department’s Missing Persons investigation of Riley Strain, we proactively provided detailed information quickly after his visit to our business on March 8. This information included all security camera footage, photos of Riley at our establishment with detailed time stamps, transaction records, and staff accounts,” read a statement to Us Weekly. “Additionally, we proactively engaged in communication with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and will continue to communicate and provide any records needed to aid their ongoing investigation.”
The statement continued: “During Riley’s visit to Luke’s 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters. At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs. Our prayers continue to be with Riley’s friends and family during this difficult time and for his safe return.”
Bryan, 47, took to social media on Tuesday, March 12, to spread the word about Strain’s disappearance.
“TC Restaurant Group, operator, and owner of Luke’s 32 Bridge is continuing to work closely with the Metro Nashville Police Department to provide security camera footage and any other potentially helpful information to aid in the search for Riley Strain,” read a post shared via his Instagram Story. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones for his safe return.”
Bryan added his own message, which stated, “Y’ALL THIS IS SCARY. PRAYING FOR HIS SAFE RETURN. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD HELP. PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE NUMBER ABOVE.”
Anyone with information about Strain’s disappearance has been asked to call police at 615-862-8600.
