GASTONIA, N.C. — A disabled homeless veteran in Gastonia is pushing back after he was arrested and his service dog was hit and killed by a car.


What You Need To Know

  • Joshua Rohrer is a disabled homeless veteran, who was living in a tent in the woods in Gastonia

  • On October 13, 2021, Rohrer was arrested by Gastonia Police and charged with panhandling, resisting arrest and failure to provide identification

  • In the days following his arrest, his service dog, Sunshine, was hit and killed by a car while in the care of a community member

  • Rohrer and his attorney have filed a formal complaint for misconduct of the officers 

  • A judge has denied the release of the body camera footage worn by the officers to the public, and the Gastonia Police Department says they are continuing to review the incident and cannot comment further as it is an open investigation

On a sunny day in Gastonia, you could find Joshua Rohrer, a homeless veteran, and his service dog, Sunshine, standing in the median in the Cox Road and Franklin Boulevard intersection. 

"I would stand out there with Sunshine and wave to people. Everyone told me they loved to see me and Sunshine, they said it would brighten their day," Rohrer said. 

Rohrer and Sunshine lived in a tent in the woods behind a nearby shopping plaza in Gastonia. Rohrer served in the Iraq War and is battling post traumatic stress disorder. He says Veterans Affairs gave him a service dog, Sunshine, to help him cope with his demons. 

Back on October 13, 2021, Rohrer was standing by the median with Sunshine. Someone called 911 and asked if it was legal to stand with a dog and ask for money. The 911 dispatcher said they weren't sure, but an officer would be headed out there to check it out.

Rohrer says that's when Gastonia Police Officer Cierra Brooks and Maurice Taylor III responded to the call. Rohrer says the interaction with the officers became traumatic. 

“The cops showed up and said that they had a few calls that I was soliciting or begging for money, I never asked anybody for anything. They got extremely upset with me and slammed me up against the police car, and they used excessive force on me and brutalized me. And in the process of doing that, decided that they wanted to lie and say that my service dog Sunshine bit him on the ankle. That was absolutely not true and so he tased her from behind," said Rohrer. 

The Gastonia Police Department isn't commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation and would only say it continues to review all the facts surrounding this incident, as well as the actions of all officers involved. 

Rhorer was arrested and charged with panhandling, resisting arrest and failure to provide identification. Sunshine was handed off to a community member. 

Joshua Rohrer (Credit: Gaston County Sheriff's Office)

Rhorer says his $3,000 bond was paid for by community members, who rallied behind him. 

“I was crying, screaming for help, and asking people to record, asking them why they were doing that to me," Rohrer said.

When Rohrer's bond was posted, the Gastonia Police Department said Sunshine had been hit and killed by a car.

“I lost my mind. I went into a PTSD episode, and I couldn’t bear the thought of living without her. She was no longer with me, so I attempted to take my own life," Rohrer said.

Following the incident, the Gastonia Police Department released a statement to the public and published it to the city's website:

"The Gastonia Police Department understands the community’s concerns surrounding the circumstances of the October 13 call for service that led to the arrest of Joshua Rohrer for charges related to panhandling, resisting arrest, and failure to provide identification.

The criminal charges for Mr. Rohrer continue to move through the court process. To protect the integrity of the pending criminal case, the Gastonia Police Department is limited on what information it can release as it relates to specific facts in this case.

After Mr. Rohrer’s arrest, his dog Sunshine was turned over to the custody of Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement (GCACE). GCACE later released Sunshine to a friend of Mr. Rohrer’s choosing. That friend took Sunshine to a home in Cleveland County, North Carolina. According to posts made on social media by friends of Mr. Rohrer, Sunshine left the premises where she was being temporarily housed, entered a roadway, and was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.

The Department fully understands the emotional impact that this entire incident, which includes the reported death of Sunshine, has had on all parties who are directly involved in this case. The Department also fully understands the emotional impact that this case has had on the local community and on the United States military community.

The Department continues to review all the facts surrounding this incident and continues to review the actions of all officers involved in Mr. Rohrer’s arrest.​"

In November, Rohrer and his attorney, Andrew LaBreche, filed a complaint with the Gastonia Police Department, asking for an outside investigation into Rohrer's arrest, the conduct of the officers involved and to preserve any footage from the arrest. 

A judge has denied the public release of the body cameras worn by the officers. Rohrer and his attorney have seen it. 

Officer Maurice Taylor III resigned in February. Officer Cierra Brooks remains with the department.

Rohrer wants the officers to face criminal charges. 

“They did not protect and serve. They escalated a situation that was not a situation to begin with," Rohrer said.

The community continues to rally around Rohrer. They found him a new service dog who he named "Justice," and also raised money to find a camper for Rohrer to stay in.