Five people have died under suspicious circumstances along the Lansing River Trail since October 2025. Four of those deaths came between July and September of this year, just weeks apart. The Lansing Mayor and Lansing City Council can act now to make the trail safer for everyone who uses it.

The victims were men between 22 and 70 years old. According to Lansing Police Chief Robert Backus, all of them were homeless and may have been sleeping outdoors, and the attacks seem to have happened in the early morning, around 3 or 4 a.m. Police say they are considering whether the cases could be connected. One man has been charged in connection with a death in late August, but it is not yet clear whether he is tied to the others.

The River Trail is a shared public space. Runners, cyclists, families, students and neighbors use it, and for some residents with nowhere else to go, it is where they spend the night. Dark early-morning hours, far from help, leave people vulnerable.

Police have increased patrols, are putting up more cameras and are partnering with local groups that serve people experiencing homelessness. That is a good start, but short-term steps are not enough. The city should commit to permanent, trail-wide safety upgrades: bright lighting along dark sections, emergency call boxes that connect directly to 911, and security cameras at key access points. These are practical fixes that people across the political spectrum can get behind.

No one should be afraid to walk, ride or rest along the river. Sign the petition to ask the Lansing Mayor and City Council to fund real safety upgrades on the River Trail before another life is lost.