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Canadian Tourist Found Safe After Going Missing From Downtown Nashville Bar; Police Probe Possible Drugging and Robbery

By James Seidel | CC News Network

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A 30‑year‑old Canadian hockey player who vanished from a Broadway bar in downtown Nashville, TN early Saturday was located 36 hours later at a McDonald’s nearly 20 miles away, authorities said Wednesday, deepening concerns about drink‑spiking and visitor safety in the city’s entertainment district.

The Disappearance

Metro Nashville police opened a missing‑person investigation after teammates reported Taylor Boylan, of Vancouver, British Columbia, last seen around 1 a.m. Saturday at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar. Security video showed Boylan dancing with an unidentified woman. His cellphone was later recovered outside Bridgestone Arena.

Boylan’s brother flew in from Canada to aid the search. On Monday afternoon a Good Samaritan spotted a confused man matching Boylan’s description at a Hermitage‑area McDonald’s and alerted NewsChannel 5 reporter Nick Beres, who relayed the tip to police. Officers confirmed the man was Boylan.

Taylor Boylin - Nashville, TN — Taylor Boylin. Photo: Nick Beres/Newschannel 5

‘Large Gap of Time Missing’

In a statement to NewsChannel 5, Boylan said he awoke in a field with bumps and bruises, missing his Apple Watch, cellphone and cash. “There’s a large gap of time missing from the nighttime to early morning,” he wrote, adding that hospital tests detected nothing abnormal in his system.

Police have not ruled out drugging or robbery. No suspects have been identified.

Broader Safety Concerns

The case comes amid a spike in social‑media reports of drink tampering on Lower Broadway. In March, University of Missouri student Riley Strain disappeared after leaving a bar and was later found dead in the Cumberland River. Last week, a man was arrested on rape charges tied to an alleged drink‑spiking incident downtown.

Broadway’s drink‑spiking problem is hardly new, but warnings have intensified in recent weeks as viral social‑media posts describe fresh cases of visitors being drugged in downtown Nashville bars. One TikTok video claimed Vanderbilt University Medical Center treated roughly 40 suspected spiking victims in a single weekend, though the hospital has not confirmed the figure. Similar firsthand accounts on Reddit and Facebook have prompted safety tip threads and renewed scrutiny of the honky‑tonk district, where dozens of bars crowd a few city blocks and nightly tourists pack the dance floors.

Metro Nashville police have issued advisories urging patrons to watch their drinks, refuse beverages from strangers and set meeting points with friends. A downtown security worker echoed that advice online, encouraging visitors to snap pre‑party group photos to simplify reunions and to use drink covers. Nightcap, a company that makes such covers, recently offered its products to Broadway bars; according to the founder, only one venue expressed interest.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell said his office is reviewing the reports, while Metro police have urged patrons to watch their drinks, stay with friends and avoid accepting beverages from strangers.

Unanswered Questions

Investigators are mapping Boylan’s movements between the bar and Hermitage, about 25 minutes east of downtown. Anyone with information or video is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615‑742‑7463.

Boylan had traveled to Nashville for a club hockey tournament, organizers said. He has since returned to Canada. “Physically I’m okay, just trying to understand what happened,” he told local news.

The incident underscores ongoing fears that Nashville’s booming nightlife may be masking a growing threat to tourists. City officials say additional patrols and outreach to bar owners are under way.