BALTIMORE, Md. — With the exception of flowers left along the trail in memory of 62-year-old John Dierker, an adjunct music professor at Towson University, there is little evidence of the bicyclist’s fatal stabbing this week, which has brought beefed up security to Baltimore’s Leakin Park.
“So you didn’t know about the fatal stabbing?” we asked a hiker, Steve Aluri, as he prepared to set out on the trail.
“No, I didn’t,” he replied, “Not at all.”
“Does it give you any second thoughts about being out here or do you think the police presence makes a difference?”
“I think so. If I’d have known there were bicycle cops out here, I probably would have picked a different spot to hike for today.”
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But many of those who regularly use the park are well aware of the murder, and the fact that Dierker’s killer remains at large.
Iman Newman stopped off to see if the park would be open to his group’s regular weekend outing.
“It’s a lot,” Newman told us, “There’s a number of us who run particularly Saturday so we like to be in a group and it helps us be safe and we enjoy the park and other things as well. It’s kind of sad when something like this happens. It threatens the whole community. I’m here. My kids are here. Friends are around and come in the park all of the time.”
In addition to the added police presence, parkgoers are advised to be aware of their surroundings, to carry a cell phone and to avoid unfamiliar or isolated areas.
Precautionary steps, which may help protect them from becoming the next victim.
“I do come here alone,” said Newman, “So I live right on the other side of the park and I have run through here at various times alone or with small groups. You know, I try not to be afraid, but yes, something like this happens and it does make you feel like, ‘I’m glad it wasn’t me’, and I’m really sorry that it was this person.”
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