Luke Bryan’s Bar Says Riley Strain Was Only Served “One Drink” Ahead Of Disappearance
on Mar 15, 2024
Luke Bryan‘s Nashville bar issued a statement Friday afternoon (March 15) detailing some of University of Missouri student Riley Strain’s behaviors prior to him getting kicked out of the establishment.
Just one week after 22-year-old Riley Strain went missing in Nashville, Luke’s 32 Bridge shared a statement that gives insight into the student’s last-known moments. Strain was in Music City with his fraternity for their annual formal event and visited Luke Bryan’s downtown Nashville bar.
Shortly before 10 p.m., Riley was kicked out of the establishment on suspicion of being “overserved.” He told one of his friends that he was going back to their hotel. Subsequent phone calls and attempts to reach Strain via social media weren’t successful. Security cameras from downtown businesses show Riley staggering down the sidewalks, clearly disoriented and struggling to maintain his balance.
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Friends of Riley’s told authorities that they had seen him intoxicated before, but his behavior on Friday night was different than usual.
The new statement from Luke’s 32 Bridge seems to corroborate that statement and indicates that Strain was only served one alcoholic beverage and two waters.
The statement adds that Strain was escorted out of the bar based on the venue’s “conduct standards.”
“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,” the statement reads. “He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs.”
Luke’s 32 Bridge says they have been cooperating with authorities since Riley Strain disappeared.
In the newly-released statement, Luke’s 32 Bridge and its parent company, TC Restaurant Group, shared that they “proactively” and quickly provided the authorities with any information that may be helpful to the investigation.
“This information included all security camera footage, photos of Riley at our establishment with detailed time stamps, transaction records, and staff accounts,” the statement reads. “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.”
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The news comes on the heels of an investigation launched by the TABC on Wednesday “after questions were asked about whether the bar had any legal obligations to protect patrons who were overly intoxicated.”
“There are no specific rules or statutes that governs escorting out intoxicated patrons from their businesses or providing assistance in getting someone home,” TABC Communications Director Aaron Rummage wrote in a statement. “However, state law prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to someone who is visibly intoxicated. A violation is a class A misdemeanor. The TABC has opened an investigation into this matter to see if any violations have occurred.”
Read the statement released by Luke’s 32 Bridge and TC Restaurant Group below.
