On March 8, Riley Strain, a senior at the University of Missouri, went missing in Nashville. He was last seen on camera near the Cumberland River while crossing 1st Ave. North at Gay Street around 9:47 p.m., and his bank card was found Sunday afternoon on an embankment between Gay St. And the Cumberland River.
Riley Strain was last seen on Broadway in Nashville just after 9:30 p.m.
Surveillance video shows Riley headed up Third Avenue alone and crashing into a pole off Church Street
The bank card of Riley was found Sunday near where he was last seen on security camera footage.
Accuracy
The body of someone floating down the Cumberland River around 1 p.m. on Sunday did not match Riley Strain's description.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive because it omits important details that could help the reader understand what happened to Riley Strain. For example, it does not mention that he was kicked out of Luke Bryan's bar for having too much to drink, which could imply that he wandered off drunk and lost his way. It also does not report any witnesses or security camera footage that could have seen him near the river. The article relies on vague statements from the police and Strain's family, without providing any evidence or context for their claims. This creates a sense of mystery and suspense around Riley's disappearance, but also leaves out crucial information that could help solve it.
The article does not disclose if it has contacted any sources that could provide more information about Riley's case, such as the police department, Luke Bryan's management or staff at Tempo by Hilton. It also does not mention if it has verified any quotes from Strain's family and friends.
The article implies that Riley was near the Cumberland River when he disappeared, but it does not explain how his bank card ended up there. It also claims that a body was reported floating in the river, but says it did not match Strain's description. However, it does not provide any details about what kind of body it was or why they could rule out Riley. This creates confusion and doubt for the reader.
The article is one-sided in reporting only what Strain's family and friends have said, without giving any opportunity for other perspectives or evidence to challenge their claims. For example, it does not mention if Luke Bryan's bar has a policy of serving alcohol to minors or if they cooperated with the police investigation.
The article is selective in reporting only details that support its assertion that Riley was last seen near the river, without acknowledging other possible scenarios or explanations for his disappearance.
The article uses sensationalism by describing Nashville as a 'party town' and Luke Bryan's bar as a 'hot spot', without providing any facts or sources to support these claims. It also focuses on Strain's visit to Nashville with his fraternity brothers, rather than the circumstances of his disappearance.
The author uses emotional manipulation by describing Riley as a 'beloved son and brother', without providing any details about his relationship with his family or why they are so concerned about him. This could imply that he has some personal issues or secrets that the article does not reveal.
The title is misleading because it suggests that the article will provide new information about where Riley Strain was last seen or heard from, when in fact most of the article is a recap of what has already been reported. A more accurate title would be 'Police find missing college student's bank card near river; search continues'.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several logical fallacies. The first is an appeal to authority when it states that the Metro Nashville Police Department found Riley Strain's bank card near the Cumberland River on Sunday afternoon. This statement implies that the police department has verified this information and therefore it must be true, but there is no evidence presented in the article to support this claim.
The Metro Nashville Police Department in Tennessee said they found Riley Strain's bank card near the Cumberland River on Sunday afternoon.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains multiple examples of bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes Riley Strain by describing him as a 'college student' rather than using his name. This is an example of religious bias as it implies that being a college student is inherently negative or undesirable.
Riley Strain was last seen around 10 p.m. March 8 walking along Gay Street after drinking downtown at country singer Luke Bryan's bar on Broadway Street, according to his family and the Metro Nashville Police Department.
The article describes Riley Strain as a 'college student'
Riley Strain was last seen on camera near the Cumberland River while crossing 1st Ave. North at Gay Street around 9:47 p.m.
Strain's bank card was discovered this afternoon on the embankment between Gay St. And the Cumberland River
The search for him continues
Accuracy
Riley Strain walked in the opposite direction of his hotel about five blocks away
Surveillance video shows Strain headed up Third Avenue alone and crashing into a pole off Church Street
The man who potentially saw Riley before his trail stops said he heard a commotion and that Riley almost fell over while walking on First Avenue, but no other footage or cell phone activity go beyond that point.
Riley Strains bank card was found near where he was last seen on security camera footage.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that foul play is suspected when there is no evidence to suggest this. Secondly, the author quotes a witness who claims they saw Strain stumbling and almost falling over but does not provide any context or details about what led them to believe this was true. This statement could be interpreted as an attempt to sensationalize the story and create fear in readers without providing any concrete evidence. Thirdly, the article mentions that surveillance video shows Strain on Gay Street near the James Robertson Bridge but does not provide any specific footage or details about what is shown in this video. This creates a sense of mystery and intrigue without actually giving readers anything to go off of.
The title implies that foul play is suspected when there is no evidence to suggest this.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the Nashville Office of Emergency Management's statement without providing any evidence or context for their claims. Additionally, the author quotes a witness who saw Strain walk his last known path and reports that he was very intoxicated, but does not provide any information about how this witness came to know Strain or if they have any other relevant knowledge. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric when it describes the man's stumbling as
The Nashville Office of Emergency Management used a dive team for the first time in their water searches for any trace of Riley Strain.
<br>He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him... He was very, very, very intoxicated.<br>
Strain continued in the same direction up First Avenue.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement from the last person who potentially saw Riley Strain before his trail stops. The man said that he heard a commotion and saw Strain almost fall over while walking down Gay Street near the river. This statement suggests that there may have been foul play involved in Strain's disappearance, which is not supported by any other evidence presented in the article.
<p>The last bush right there caught him... He was very, very, very intoxicated...</p>
We heard a commotion," said the man who asked not to be identified. "He almost fell over.</quote>
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The article by Kelly Avellino contains multiple examples of conflicts of interest. The author has a personal relationship with Riley Strain and may be hesitant to report on negative aspects related to him. Additionally, the article mentions Luke Bryan's bar downtown which could create a conflict if the owner or employees have ties to foul play in relation to the missing student.
The author has a personal relationship with Riley Strain and may be hesitant to report on negative aspects related to him. The article mentions Luke Bryan's bar downtown which could create a conflict if the owner or employees have ties to foul play in relation to the missing student.
Riley Strain is a senior at the University of Missouri.
Strain was last seen on security camera footage just before 10 p.m. on March 8 and never made it to his hotel after leaving Luke's 32 Bridge Food & Drink bar.
The bank card of Strain was found Sunday near where he was last seen on security camera footage.
Accuracy
Riley Strain was last seen on security camera footage just before 10 p.m. on March 8 and never made it to his hotel after leaving Luke's 32 Bridge Food & Drink bar.
The body of someone floating down the Cumberland River around 1 p.m. on Sunday did not match Riley Strain's description.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Strain's bank card was found on the embankment between Gay Street and Cumberland River near where he was last seen. However, this information contradicts other statements made by police and witnesses who claim that Strain's body was found floating in the river nearby. Secondly, Chris Whiteid claims that his stepson is 6-foot-7 and weighs 155-160 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. However, this information contradicts other statements made by police who describe Strain as a white male in his early twenties with short brown hair. Thirdly, the article claims that Strain was last seen on security camera footage just before 10 p.m., but it is unclear if this footage has been released to the public or not.
The author's statement about finding Strain's bank card contradicts police and witness statements about his body being found floating in the river nearby.
Riley Strain was last seen on camera near the Cumberland River while crossing 1st Ave. North at Gay Street around 9:47 p.m.
The search for him continues
Strain's bank card was discovered this afternoon on the embankment between Gay St. And the Cumberland River
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Riley Strain's bank card was found on an embankment near the Cumberland River Sunday afternoon. However, this information is not supported by any evidence presented in the article and it appears to be based solely on a statement from family friend Chris Dingman who may or may not have been present at the scene of discovery. Secondly, there are several instances where quotes from sources such as WSMV and Nashville Office of Emergency Management Public Information Officer Kendra Loney are used without any context or explanation about their relevance to the article's content. This creates a misleading impression that these sources have provided additional information when in fact they may not be directly related to the story at hand. Lastly, there is no mention of any scientific evidence linking Riley Strain's disappearance with his bank card being found on an embankment near the Cumberland River.
The article claims that Riley Strain's bank card was found on an embankment near the Cumberland River Sunday afternoon. However, this information is not supported by any evidence presented in the article and it appears to be based solely on a statement from family friend Chris Dingman who may or may not have been present at the scene of discovery.
The article quotes WSMV stating that Nashville emergency officials used two sonar boats, four canines, one Nashville Fire Department boat and crew, one dive team, and one drone and operator to search for Riley Strain. However, there is no context or explanation about how this information relates to the discovery of his bank card on an embankment near the Cumberland River.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it quotes the Metro Nashville Police Department as confirming that Riley Strain's bank card was found. The police department is not a reliable source of information and their confirmation should be taken with a grain of salt.
]Riley Strains’s bank card was found on an embankment near the Cumberland River Sunday afternoon.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a religious bias by mentioning that the missing person is visiting Nashville with members of his fraternity. The author also uses language that dehumanizes Riley Strain by referring to him as 'missing' instead of using more neutral terms such as 'absent'. Additionally, there are multiple examples where the article quotes people who have not been directly involved in the incident and therefore cannot be considered reliable sources.
<quote>As soon as the information came to me. I was constantly on the phone texting with TikTokers, relying on family information, and verifying that what we had was a legit lead.</quote>
<quote>The police are there now and have quarantined off the area</quote>
The article contains a religious bias by mentioning that the missing person is visiting Nashville with members of his fraternity.
The author uses language that dehumanizes Riley Strain by referring to him as 'missing' instead of using more neutral terms such as 'absent'.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Christopher Replogle and Charmelle O'Dell have a financial tie to Riley Strain as they are the owners of WSMV/KY3 which is the news outlet that published this article. This could compromise their ability to report on this topic objectively.
Christopher Replogle and Charmelle O'Dell own WSMV/KY3, which means they have a financial stake in Riley Strain.
