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Search for missing student Riley Strain shifts to dam 40 miles from where he was last seen in Nashville
As authorities and community volunteers continued to search for Riley Strain, the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who went missing almost two weeks ago in Nashville, they shifted their focus to a dam miles away from the section of the Cumberland River downtown where efforts were focused initially.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shared a video on Tuesday that was taken from one of their helicopters, which was flying over the Cheatham Dam, about 40 miles away from central Nashville.
“Our helicopters continue to fly over the Cumberland River in the ongoing search for Riley Strain,” the police department said in a social media post with the video. Nashville police have been leading the investigation into Strain’s disappearance, but they partnered with the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office for downriver operations.
Officers worked together to shut down the dam this week and inspect any debris that floated up to the surface, CBS affiliate WTVF reported, but they did not find anything related to the search for Strain.
“Somehow, Riley may have fallen into the river and was swept away by the current,” David Flagg, the director of operations for the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer disaster relief organization that is now assisting in the search for Strain, told WTVF. “The current was very, very swift on the day that he disappeared.”
Crews have been searching for Strain on the ground, in boats and from the air.
Strain was last seen on the night of March 8, when he was ordered to leave a bar in downtown Nashville and briefly interacted with a Nashville police officer shortly afterward while walking along a street that runs adjacent to the Cumberland River. More than a week after his disappearance, two community members discovered Strain’s debit card on the riverbank near where he and the police officer exchanged greetings the night he vanished.
After the debit card was found, search efforts restructured as the United Cajun Navy worked to mobilize individual community volunteers. The organization has so far lent airboats and a hovercraft to Strain’s case.
The college student’s parents, Michelle Whiteid and Chris Whiteid, have been in Nashville since the search began. Chris Whiteid, Strain’s stepfather, told ABC News on Wednesday that his family has started to brace for the worst case scenario as more time passes.
“Put yourself in our shoes. Everybody knows it. Everybody’s thinking it,” Whiteid said. “Those conversations are starting to happen. It’s not what we want.”
CBS News
Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.
Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.
For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state.
One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president.
What Harris will discuss
Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris.
Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.
Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know.
Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview
Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.
Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special.
“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”
The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”
“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.
“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes
Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.
Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020.
How to watch the “60 Minutes” election special
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