NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Riley Strain's disappearance and death brought forth the broader decision to bring a Metro Council resolution to address downtown safety along the Cumberland River.
That resolution is back on the agenda again Tuesday night after being deferred twice in April.
The local legislation was filed four days after emergency crews removed Strain's body from the Cumberland River, eight miles away from where police believed he fell into the water. Authorities called his death an accidental drowning.
Cameras tracked Strain's movements around downtown Nashville, but no cameras pinpointed him being on the banks of the Cumberland or caught his fall. This resolution would ask for recommendations about security coverage and blind spots in downown, particularly the riverfront.
The resolution would ask for city services to study Office of Homeless Services must continue to prioritize assess the safety and well-being of the unhoused community surrounding the river, especially along the Gay Street Riverfront. It would also ask for a count of how many people are living along the riverfront in that way.
It would also ask for a big-picture study on what actions council should take to make the area safer. That could include installation of safety equipment, lighting, fences and access points along the riverfront. It also asks for analysis level of the current litter level along the banks of the Cumberland.
The report on answering these questions would be due back March 8, 2025, a year to the date that Strain went missing. However, the resolution outlined that immediate actions be taken where they can to remedy some of these issues.
Who was Riley Strain?
Strain, 22, was a University of Missouri senior who disappeared after a night out with friends in Downtown Nashville on March 8. The university recently recognized him during the graduation proceedings.
He went missing after he was asked to leave Luke Bryan's bar on Lower Broadway.
Surveillance video and body-cam footage was released detailing the night, as well as a statement from Luke Bryan's bar, claiming they only ever sold him one alcoholic beverage and two waters.
Strain's toxicology hasn't yet been released, but they are complete.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
