Nashville police find body of missing Missouri student Riley Strain in Cumberland River

The body of missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain was discovered Friday morning in the Cumberland River in West Nashville — approximately eight miles from downtown. Foul play is not suspected.

Metro Nashville police and Nashville firefighters responded to 61st Avenue North in the Nations after a work crew spotted a body shortly before 7:30 a.m. in the Cumberland River, Police Chief John Drake said Friday morning at a news conference. Strain still had on the same shirt and watch he was wearing when he went missing, Drake said, which helped authorities identify him.

Metro Nashville police said in a post on social media its investigators did not observe foul-play related trauma. Drake said there is "no other evidence that suggests anything other than" that Strain fell into the river accidentally.

An autopsy will likely occur Friday, Drake added.

Follow along below for more updates.

GoFundMe raises thousands for Strain's family

A fundraiser on GoFundMe for Strain's family has raised more than $65,000 from more than 1,000 donations as of noon Friday. The fundraiser was created on March 13, five days after Strain was last seen.

An update posted by the fundraiser's organizer after police located Strain's body asked people to keep Strain's family in their thoughts and prayers. Donations came in after the announcement Friday morning from members of Strain's fraternity, parents of University of Missouri students and Nashville residents.

A GoFundMe spokesperson confirmed that the fundraiser was legitimate.

'Look out for one another,' mayor says

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said while the city is taking steps to improve safety, he’s urging residents and visitors to be vigilant, even in celebratory spaces such as Lower Broadway.

"I think this is an important reminder to everyone to also look out for one another," O'Connell said during a Friday morning discussion. "You know, I think some of this is just about how we as a city look after each other as neighbors and as people interacting in the entertainment district.”

Council member: 'Make sure his death was not in vain'

District 19 Council member Jacob Kupin, who represents downtown, said on social media he has been working to secure the area where Strain is believed to have fallen into the river.

"My heart breaks for Riley’s family and friends," Kupin said. "Since his disappearance I have been actively working on steps to secure the river area where he likely fell. We will continue these efforts to make sure his death was not in vain."

Mayor says city will work toward safety improvements

O'Connell on Friday morning shared his thoughts on social media just before 10 a.m.

"This is not the outcome that anyone hoped for – especially his parents and everyone who loved him," O'Connell wrote.

O'Connell said he had met with Strain's family earlier in the week and that "as devastating as I find this news, I can’t imagine their heartbreak."

"We will continue to work toward improvements in safety in a variety of ways," O'Connell added. "I hope people will support the family, including by respecting their privacy."

O'Connell said Friday morning that the city will be talking with the Nashville Department of Transportation for a review along the riverfront because "some questions have been raised about infrastructure" there. He also pointed out other "important steps" the city has taken recently to improve safety downtown, including opening a new police substation on Broadway.

O'Connell said he does worry about how the incident reflects on Nashville’s image as a city.

“We share the goal with the Convention and Visitor's Corporation of constantly investing in the safety of the city and particularly the entertainment district because we want not just residents to be safe in their neighborhoods, whether or not they ever go to a honky tonk, but we also want visitors in the city to be safe," he said.

Family of Riley Strain notified after body found in West Nashville

Drake, Nashville's police chief, confirmed that Strain's family had been notified and expressed his condolences.

"I want to say to the family my heart and prayers go out to you all, because it is a very unfortunate and tragic incident," Drake said.

When did Riley Strain go missing in Nashville?

Strain, 22, who went missing during on a recent trip with fraternity brothers, was last spotted March 8. At the time, he was kicked out of Luke's 32 Bridge — a Broadway bar owned by singer-songwriter Luke Bryan.

Strain's friends notified police the next day when he did not return to their hotel from the night out.

Riley Strain disappearance timeline: What we know about the missing college student

After leaving the bar, video surveillance located Strain several times around downtown. Metro Nashville Police released video of him crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street, which runs along the Cumberland River.

He then interacted with an officer, which was captured on a body worn camera. The officer was on Gay Street, responding to a report of burglary, when Strain walked past him, exchanging pleasantries.

Dangers of the Cumberland River: How water depth, current and temperature impact people

On Tuesday, Strain's parents welcomed in-person support from the United Cajun Navy, a search and rescue group which largely assists in natural disasters, but also missing persons cases.

Other missing adults and children in Tennessee

Tennessee authorities say they remain committed to finding other missing people, such as Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, the 15-year-old Hendersonville boy who disappeared from his Sumner County home on Feb. 26. He was last seen near Stafford Court in Hendersonville. Since then, leads have remained sparse.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, a missing person is someone whose whereabouts is unknown to a parent, caretaker or others who have normal contact with the person. A missing person can be a child who has left home on their own, anyone who has been involuntarily abducted, or any individual who cannot return to safety without assistance.

Active missing child alerts include Hollynn Snapp and Layla Santanello, who have both been missing since 2023. The people listed on TBI's site do not represent all missing persons in the state, anyone with information on missing people in Tennessee is encouraged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND or email TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville police find body of Missouri student Riley Strain