‘Holding out hope’: Internet heartbroken as video shows college student Riley Strain greet police officer on the day he went missing

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: The Nashville Police in Tennessee has released a body cam video showing University of Missouri college student Riley Strain greeting a police officer on Gay Street.

Police say Riley Strain did not appear distressed 

A video posted by Metro Nashville PD on March 18 briefly showed Riley walking on Gay Street where a police officer was on a vehicle burglary call. 

The police noted that Riley did not appear distressed. “Shown was Riley’s brief exchange of greetings w/ Officer Reginald Young on Gay Street, south of the Woodland St Bridge, on the night of 3/8. Riley did not appear distressed," Metro Nashville PD posted on X.

"Officer Young was there on a vehicle burglary call & remained on that portion of Gay St. for 45 min,” the police posted.

Riley Strain's bank card found near embankment as search for him continues

Earlier on March 17, the police posted that Riley Strain's bank card was found near the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River and the search for him continues.

"Riley Strain's bank card was discovered this afternoon on the embankment between Gay Street And the Cumberland River. The search for him continues," the X post informed. 

 

Fox News reported a body was reported to be floating down the Cumberland River at around 1 pm, but Nashville Fire Department officials have confirmed that it does not match Strain’s description.

Police then clarified, "No evidence of foul play has surfaced as work continues to locate Riley Strain."

They said, "On Sunday evening, Riley’s parents met with some of the detective team and received a full briefing on the work being done. They were also shown available video."

Riley Strain seen walking and running on day he went missing 

Riley Strain, a senior at the University of Missouri, was last seen around 10 pm on March 8 walking along Gay Street “after drinking downtown” at country singer Luke Bryan’s bar on Broadway Street, according to his family and the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Purported videos also showed him running on the street and crashing after hitting the pole.

He was visiting Nashville with his fraternity brothers for a spring formal trip. Strain was reportedly asked to leave the bar on the evening of March 8 after staff felt he had too much to drink, according to reports.

He told his friends he would walk back to their hotel, Tempo by Hilton, which is about five blocks from Luke’s 32 Bridge. The bar, however, denied he was too drunk.

Internet reacts to Riley Strain's latest video

Internet users have reacted to the video with comments such as, “Wowww… so this leads me to believe he wasn’t drugged, he tried to act just fine when encountering the officer. (As most drunk people do).”

One X user wrote, “This breaks my heart. I know it’s easy for me to say - but “if only” he had told the cop he was lost the outcome would be so different 😞.”

“Case keeps getting stranger and stranger. Holding out hope,” wrote one more.

“This is really strange to me. After watching previous videos of how he was walking… you’re telling me an officer didn’t have the same “oh my goodness he’s struggling” thoughts? Really?” asked another.

“He was definitely under the influence of something. Before he noticed the officer he was stumbling and then began to walk slower when he talked to the officer,” observed one. “I’m so confused,” another added.

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