Found Deceased TN - Riley Strain, 22, missing after leaving bar, Nashville, 8 March 2024 #3

[NCWatcher]

I thought it said somewhere in these threads that Riley's family saw a video of what happened at the bar?

Someone did post on WS that a video existed of the incident and that Riley's family had seen it. Further, it was stated the family wouldn't release the video, perhaps because it made RS "look bad." No documentation of those claims was ever provided. Nothing that I've seen the family say suggests they saw a video. Rather it sounded like to me they were told what happened by employees at Luke's.

Personally I doubt a video exists (as I said in an earlier post) but if it did, IMO it wouldn't be up to the family to release it. It would belong to Luke's. And while there may not be the same concern about the privacy of other patrons as in a casino, I'm not sure why the privacy of those involved in the incident should be invaded by releasing a video publicly. And if the video did show drink tampering (as was implied it could in the post that said a video existed) putting the video out for public consumption wouldn't make sense IMO.
MOO

 

[December]

Someone did post on WS that a video existed of the incident and that Riley's family had seen it. Further, it was stated the family wouldn't release the video, perhaps because it made RS "look bad." No documentation of those claims was ever provided. Nothing that I've seen the family say suggests they saw a video. Rather it sounded like to me they were told what happened by employees at Luke's.

Personally I doubt a video exists (as I said in an earlier post) but if it did, IMO it wouldn't be up to the family to release it. It would belong to Luke's. And while there may not be the same concern about the privacy of other patrons as in a casino, I'm not sure why the privacy of those involved in the incident should be invaded by releasing a video publicly. And if the video did show drink tampering (as was implied it could in the post that said a video existed) putting the video out for public consumption wouldn't make sense IMO.
MOO

I don't mean that it would be released to the general public. Only that i thought i had read they had seen it. And, of course, if they saw it that doesn't mean they have any control over it or would wish to discuss in it detail.

Because, imo, a video probably does exist. That doesn't mean that I think everyone should see it, only that the police have probably seen it. Jmo

 

[NCWatcher]

I don't mean that it would be released to the general public. Only that i thought i had read they had seen it. And, of course, if they saw it that doesn't mean they have any control over it or would wish to discuss in it detail.

Because, imo, a video probably does exist. That doesn't mean that I think everyone should see it, only that the police have probably seen it. Jmo

Well, the only time I know of that the idea of a video of the incident at Luke's was discussed here on WS it was in the context of the family not releasing the video to the general public because they thought it made RS look bad. And IMO, it wouldn't have been up to the family to make that decision if there was a video.

None of us can possibly know if there is a video. But if there is, and the family has seen it, I'm quite sure LE is aware of it. But I find it very unlikely that there is a video myself. Establishments that have cameras indoors usually don't have enough of them or have them set up to record the level of detail that meaningful recording of "the incident" would likely require. Certainly it would be pretty impossible to have meaningful audio of the incident in a noisy bar. Often if there are cameras they are focused on things like entrances/exits and cash registers and backroom alcohol stock to deter employee theft. But that's just my opinion and my limited experience. Of course, I suppose it's possible the incident with Riley was a huge deal. Maybe there WAS a ton of disruption over a large part of the establishment caused by whatever he did when "trying to be helpful." If that were the case, and there was a camera in that area of the room, maybe the incident would have been caught on video. But I didn't get the idea he was THAT disruptive. It was my impression kicking him out was more a matter of being proactive because things can get worse fast when someone is too drunk. I'd think though if it was a noticeable incident, a patron who was nearby would have told some reporter what he/she witnessed.
MOO

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

IIRC, there were three video cameras on that building, and Riley's family was able to get access to one of them. But they also want to see the other two videos from the other cameras. My understanding is that the building is a jailhouse or prison (some kind of detention center) and the building is under the authority of LE, so I am assuming that there are likely some security issues/clearances that make it difficult to get access to those videos. JMO and going from memory here.

Oh, I was referring to Marathon Oil, which Steve mentioned and which is on across the river, east side of it. If they had cameras that picked up the water itself, it might show something.

 

[Babylon Sister]

Well, the only time I know of that the idea of a video of the incident at Luke's was discussed here on WS it was in the context of the family not releasing the video to the general public because they thought it made RS look bad. And IMO, it wouldn't have been up to the family to make that decision if there was a video.

None of us can possibly know if there is a video. But if there is, and the family has seen it, I'm quite sure LE is aware of it. But I find it very unlikely that there is a video myself.

I can't easily find the posts that discuss the family seeing the video and it not being released, but:

Riley Strain’s phone had power, ‘did not die’: Family friend

At a news conference, Nashville police said the search for Riley Strain will continue until they find the young man.

www.newsnationnow.com

From thread #2, post #447 as quoted from the above article, the family spokesperson definitely implies that they have seen the footage.

"Additionally, Dingman disclosed that Strain’s removal from the bar was not due to confrontations but rather a conversation with an employee.
“There was no argument … Riley was actually trying to do a good deed,” Dingman said. “They felt like, you know, maybe he had had enough.”

 

[NCWatcher]

I can't easily find the posts that discuss the family seeing the video and it not being released, but:

Riley Strain’s phone had power, ‘did not die’: Family friend

At a news conference, Nashville police said the search for Riley Strain will continue until they find the young man.

www.newsnationnow.com

From thread #2, post #447 as quoted from the above article, the family spokesperson definitely implies that they have seen the footage.

"Additionally, Dingman disclosed that Strain’s removal from the bar was not due to confrontations but rather a conversation with an employee.
“There was no argument … Riley was actually trying to do a good deed,” Dingman said. “They felt like, you know, maybe he had had enough.”

Yes, I had mentioned in an earlier post on this topic that per the family spokesperson, the family seemed to know what happened during the incident (after a certain point. Initially they seemed to be up in arms when they didn't know why RS got kicked out of Luke's.)

From my perspective I don't think anything said by the family or by the family spokesperson confirms (or even implies) a video exists and was viewed.

The spokesperson saying what he did including "“They felt like, you know, maybe he had had enough" doesn't say to me that the family knew what they knew from a video and that they saw and heard an employee say to RS on video "maybe you've had enough." Even if there WAS a video, I can't imagine it would have captured clear audio of that sort of "conversational" variety. (But maybe Luke's is more staid on a Friday night than I imagine.)

What the spokesperson said publicly convinces me the situation was explained to the family by the management at Luke's & the family accepted that explanation, at least for the time being. It doesn't say to me the family saw a video of the incident (an incident described by the spokesperson as a conversation) that caused RS to get booted. But none of us can know for sure.
MOO

 

[freckles]

I work for a business that has video systems. We will release video to law enforcement or court subpoenas. We do not allow video to be viewed by anyone else due to security issues

 

[Sundog]

Oh, over on Gay Street? That's where Night Court used to be. It might still be, idk. It's probably still something LE-related. It's not a prison though. It's not big enough for that. It had more like temporary holding (like a few hours), but it wasn't a jail either.1

In college, we used to go over and obser what went on in night court. It was all non-violent stuff. It used to be swarming with cops, obviously. So, this is why i wonder if it's something else now.

Riley's family is trying to get access to the surveillance videos from the Birch Building (full name is Justice A.A. Birch Building) which houses the courts (and a jail facility and underground parking garage and serves the Metro Nashville area. The older court building was renovated completely in 2006. Riley's family is working with the Sheriff's Department trying to get access to the videos.

The Birch Building is also connected by a skybridge to the Criminal Justice Center detention facility that has 810 beds, a medical facility, administrative offices, visiting space and an underground parking garage, etc. It was totally renovated in 2020.

IIRC, Riley's family have been given access to one of the camera's surveillance video but there are two more cameras that they haven't been given access to and they believe that those cameras also face areas that they feel are significant regarding Riley's path the night he disappeared.

 

[Universecalling]

Riley Strain’s phone had power, ‘did not die’: Family friend

At a news conference, Nashville police said the search for Riley Strain will continue until they find the young man.

www.newsnationnow.com

Yes, I had mentioned in an earlier post on this topic that per the family spokesperson, the family seemed to know what happened during the incident (after a certain point. Initially they seemed to be up in arms when they didn't know why RS got kicked out of Luke's.)

From my perspective I don't think anything said by the family or by the family spokesperson confirms (or even implies) a video exists and was viewed.

The spokesperson saying what he did including "“They felt like, you know, maybe he had had enough" doesn't say to me that the family knew what they knew from a video and that they saw and heard an employee say to RS on video "maybe you've had enough." Even if there WAS a video, I can't imagine it would have captured clear audio of that sort of "conversational" variety. (But maybe Luke's is more staid on a Friday night than I imagine.)

What the spokesperson said publicly convinces me the situation was explained to the family by the management at Luke's & the family accepted that explanation, at least for the time being. It doesn't say to me the family saw a video of the incident (an incident described by the spokesperson as a conversation) that caused RS to get booted. But none of us can know for sure.
MOO

here’s the video of the family spokesman saying the family did see the video and also starts with “what we are able to talk about”
Starts at 2:30, at the end he confirms family seeing the bar surveillance.
The video does exist as we discussed before.
The article you referenced dues not give the entire quote from the video.

 

[doublestop]

I work for a business that has video systems. We will release video to law enforcement or court subpoenas. We do not allow video to be viewed by anyone else due to security issues

What are those security issues?

 

[NCWatcher]

Riley Strain’s phone had power, ‘did not die’: Family friend

At a news conference, Nashville police said the search for Riley Strain will continue until they find the young man.

www.newsnationnow.com

here’s the video of the family spokesman saying the family did see the video and also starts with “what we are able to talk about”
Starts at 2:30, at the end he confirms family seeing the bar surveillance.
The video does exist as we discussed before.
The article you referenced dues not give the entire quote from the video.

I agree he does say the word "video" in the blurb. I'd not seen that interview posted anywhere on WS to document the claim of a video existing (including last time the question was discussed here.) But if there is a video that clearly shows the actual incident (with audio indicating what was said) and the family has seen it, the spokesperson sure doesn't seem to know much about what happened. He mainly seems to know what didn't happen. So it's still very odd to me.
MOO

 

[Universecalling]

I agree he does say the word "video" in the blurb. I'd not seen that interview posted anywhere on WS to document the claim of a video existing (including last time the question was discussed here.) But if there is a video that clearly shows the actual incident (with audio indicating what was said) and the family has seen it, the spokesperson sure doesn't seem to know much about what happened. He mainly seems to know what didn't happen. So it's still very odd to me.
MOO

At the very end he seems to allude he knows exactly what is in the video as he says “all this will come out and Riley was actually trying to do a good deed”.
That is why we started this convo, wondering why not release the video.
Especially since there are many bar surveillance videos released in other cases…I don’t listen to country, so a name may be wrong, but Chris Young, a country singer had an incident just a few months ago. J think there was one even more recent…

 

[Cedars]

wondering why not release the video.
Especially since there are many bar surveillance videos released in other cases…I don’t listen to country, so a name may be wrong, but Chris Young, a country singer had an incident just a few months ago. J think there was one even more recent…

RSBM

IMO, this is still a police investigation. The medical examiner and police will decide whether or not a crime was committed. Not armchair detectives.

I don't know why families take these issues to the media, but perhaps they believe it will influence police, that authorities will be forced to give up their own investigation and bow to the pressure of public opinion whipped up by the tabloid media.

JMO

 

[freckles]

What are those security issues?

Bank buildings. We don’t like to advertise where our camera coverage is or isn’t.

I would assume the same would apply to other businesses

 

[Universecalling]

RSBM

IMO, this is still a police investigation. The medical examiner and police will decide whether or not a crime was committed. Not armchair detectives.

I don't know why families take these issues to the media, but perhaps they believe it will influence police, that authorities will be forced to give up their own investigation and bow to the pressure of public opinion whipped up by the tabloid media.

JMO

Is there still an investigation?
As far as I know this was never a criminal investigation and the LE has been adamant there’s no foul play. I agree with that assessment. I wasn’t aware it is still a police investigation.

My point was- the family is grieving and looking for explanations, but were vague on exactly why Riley was kicked out.
They were open and vocal about everything else, even calling out his fraternity.

The bar video was never released and the family alluded to (at the time) that more will come out about it later, but they can’t really say much about it right now.
So, that part is confusing for me.

 

[Sundog]

Bank buildings. We don’t like to advertise where our camera coverage is or isn’t.

I would assume the same would apply to other businesses

Yes, and it would especially apply to jails and courthouses.

 

[SMK777]

Luke Bryan Would Like To Personally Offer Condolences to Riley Strain’s Family​

Luke Bryan Would Like To Personally Offer Condolences to Riley Strain's Family

Luke Bryan wants to speak in person with the family of a college student who disappeared after leaving the country singer's Nashville bar.

americansongwriter.com

 

[December]

Unless it is proven that an actual crime was committed (i'm not saying there was), i don't really see how anything can be done. Then, all that can be done is to solve that crime.

There, apparently, isn't evidence of a crime. We, the public are not going to see every scrap of video that exists. But, that doesn't mean that the police have not seen it. They're probably not going to talk about it unless it shows an actual crime being committed and, from all indication, they don't have any videos like that. What if he is just walking around in the videos?

And when i say video, to be clear, i mean video. There might be some, somewhere with audio, but probably not. There might be some that's motion sensitive and temporarily follows a person, but probably not much.

So i mean just a video that shows Riley as he comes by the len's view. Imo, probably the bar has cameras on the door. They probably also have some on the bar (at least where the money is). There may be a few more because it's 2024 and cameras aren't that expensive. Jmo based on having noticed cameras in places.

These won't provide a complete narrative of what happened in the bar. For all we know, whatever happened to lead him so off target from where he was supposed to be going, didn't even start to materialize until after he left the bar and has not that much to do with the bar.

<modsnip - off topic>

 

[branmuffin]

The weirdest part (to me) is that he was texting and calling her while he was out bar hopping with his fraternity brothers. ‍

And truthfully, we don't know the dynamic between Riley and his fellow frat brothers. Riley may have had different life experiences than his frat brothers and calling his mom was kind of a lifeline for him. One thing I was curious about was the amount of members of that fraternity. Wasn't the number pegged at about 200? That seems a really big number for one school fraternity. Was it just his frat that went to Nashville or did a whole bunch of fraternities go? I read a whole bunch of posts on a website that ranks university fraternities. The first 20 posts or so are just lambasting the frat brothers for not looking out for Riley while many of the earlier one's (pre Riley's death) don't have great things to say about it and when they do, the posters are accused of self ranking. I don't think I'd want my kid to be in a fraternity, tbh.

 

[Sundog]

And truthfully, we don't know the dynamic between Riley and his fellow frat brothers. Riley may have had different life experiences than his frat brothers and calling his mom was kind of a lifeline for him. One thing I was curious about was the amount of members of that fraternity. Wasn't the number pegged at about 200? That seems a really big number for one school fraternity. Was it just his frat that went to Nashville or did a whole bunch of fraternities go? I read a whole bunch of posts on a website that ranks university fraternities. The first 20 posts or so are just lambasting the frat brothers for not looking out for Riley while many of the earlier one's (pre Riley's death) don't have great things to say about it and when they do, the posters are accused of self ranking. I don't think I'd want my kid to be in a fraternity, tbh.

Lots of fraternities and sororities and other college groups hold their annual events in Nashville as it is a very popular destination and they are heavily recruited to hold their events there. Riley was a member of the university chapter of the national fraternity and his chapter held their annual event in Nashville. Other chapters of the national fraternity from other universities may have also held their events in Nashville and perhaps they all get together at some point, but his fraternity brothers were all from the same chapter and university.