Bicyclist's deadly stabbing renews calls for safety improvements at Baltimore's Leakin Park

Baltimore community members are calling for increased safety measures at Leakin Park after a bicyclist was stabbed to death in broad daylight Tuesday.

Police responded around 4 p.m. to the 4500 block of Franklintown Road, where 62-year-old John Dierker was found lying next to his bicycle on a bike path with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dierker was an adjunct faculty member in Towson University's music department. He had been with the university since 2009, according to Towson.

Neighbors said they were shocked by the attack, which happened near one of the park's main roads leading into Gwynns Falls.

Some visitors say the killing has renewed concerns about safety at the park, with calls for walking patrols and security cameras to help people feel safer.

"I ride this trail regularly," said bicyclist Art Lien. "Very sad and very angry. I've started to look at alternate trails."

Lien said he never previously felt the need to worry about his safety while riding through the park.

Flowers have since been placed along the trail where Dierker was killed while out for a bike ride.

Lien did not know Dierker personally, but has been cycling for 30 years and regularly enjoys the park's trails. He said there have been calls for safety improvements at Leakin Park for years.

"Three years ago, there was another incident in this park, and we thought we were going to have mounted police, and really nothing has happened," Lien said.

The group Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park has been working with city and state leaders to push for improvements.

"I think this tragedy, it is time to make an investment into the park," said Parker Slater Harrington, the group's executive director. "We have great rangers that patrol all of Baltimore City parks. They need more resources so they can get more personnel there. Also thinking about how do we do better infrastructure, like call boxes and lighting and possibly cameras."

Slater Harrington said millions of dollars in funding are also expected to go toward improvements at the park, with the goal of increasing safety, comfort and accessibility while helping prevent violence.

Baltimore Police said on Thursday that it will increase patrols, including bike patrols, along the trails. The department said it is implementing additional safety measures.

Anyone with information about the deadly stabbing is asked to call Baltimore police homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.