‘American Idol’ Fans Urge Luke Bryan to Make Statement About College Student Who Died Leaving His Bar

ABC’s American Idol Season 22 is here, and fans are eager to see who Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie pick as their favorites moving forward. Bryan is a country superstar with a huge fan base. But fans of his work are asking him to make a statement regarding college student Riley Strain’s death. Strain died after leaving Bryan’s restaurant, Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Fans urge ‘American Idol’ judge Luke Bryan to make a statement about college student Riley Strain

American Idol and country music fans alike are calling for Luke Bryan to make a statement regarding Riley Strain’s death. Strain was on a college spring break trip in Nashville, Tennessee, with his fellow fraternity brothers in early March 2024. His last known location was Bryan’s Nashville restaurant, Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink. Police recovered Strain’s body from the Cumberland River in West Nashville on March 22, 2024.

The Metro Nashville Police Department posted an update on the situation via X. “BREAKING: The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown,” they posted on March 22. “No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending.”

The University of Missouri President Mun Y. Choi wrote an email to students and members regarding Strain’s death. “I write to you with a heavy heart with the news that the search for MU student Riley Strain has ended tragically,” he wrote, according to The Tennessean. “After an exhaustive search by authorities and volunteers, Riley’s body was recovered today in Nashville, Tenn., where he had traveled to attend his fraternity’s spring formal event.”

Bryan didn’t post a statement regarding Strain’s death. His last Instagram post was of him and his fellow American Idol judges, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, at his high school on March 17, 2024.

“At least make a post about Riley,” a fan commented on the post.

Another fan commented on a photo that Bryan posted of all four American Idol judges and host Ryan Seacrest. “Glad to see you’re SO concerned about Riley Strain. Do better,” the fan wrote.

Other fans defended Bryan in the comments for promoting American Idol while the investigation regarding Strain’s whereabouts continued.

Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink released a statement before the news of the student’s death

During Riley Strain’s disappearance, all eyes were on American Idol judge Luke Bryan’s bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink. TC Restaurant Group stated that bartenders only served Strain one alcoholic beverage and two glasses of water. According to NBC News, security removed him around 9:35 p.m. based on the restaurant’s “conduct standards” on the night of his disappearance. It’s unclear what Strain’s behavior was before his removal.

Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink released a statement on March 15, 2024, and Bryan reposted it to his personal Instagram account. “In our effort to help the Nashville Metro Police Department’s Missing Persons investigation of Riley Strain, we proactively provided detailed information quickly after his visit to our business on March 8,” the statement reads. “This statement included all security camera footage, photos of Riley at our establishment with detailed time stamps, transaction records, and staff accounts.” The statement explains what Riley had to drink that evening and what they know of what occurred after he left.

American Idol Season 22 airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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