Homeless vet hopes his Gastonia arrest sparks change nationwide

Homeless veteran Joshua Rohrer plans to fight criminal charges in court over whether he was resisting arrest and panhandling last month, but he believes the bigger issue with the Oct. 13 incident has to do with his treatment from Gastonia Police and how officers separated him from his service dog.

The service dog, a blue Belgian Malinois that Rohrer called Sunshine Rae, would get loose from where it was being kept in Cleveland County and be killed when struck by a car. Police had sent the dog off for housing while Rohrer was in Gaston County jail.

"She's my lifeline. I can't function without her," Rohrer said last week in an interview with The Gazette. "I can't go into public and be around groups of people without her."

Gastonia Police released a statement Oct. 30 that an internal investigation was underway concerning the circumstances of Rohrer's arrest, adding the department was limited in what could be reported while the criminal charges remain pending.

The department also reported last week the officers involved in the arrest remain on regular duty, and the case remains under review.

Rohrer, 37, and Sunshine Rae, had been together for almost three years when she was killed. Veterans Affairs prescribed a service dog to the Iraqi War veteran, Rohrer says, to help him deal with mental health issues including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and paranoia.

Roher served with the Army National Guard out of Kentucky from 2002 to 2008 and in Iraq from 2004 to 2005, he said.

Rohrer and Sunshine Rae were regulars in front of the Cox Road intersection leading into Target, with Rohrer saying the pair were there almost seven days a week for months. Rohrer and the dog slept in a tent in a wooded area near the shopping center, he said.

"I smiled and waved at people. It was therapeutic for me," Rohrer said. "I was not panhandling. People gave me dog treats and stuff, and sometimes people would come up and say, 'thank you for your service,' and give me some money, but I never asked for anything."

But at 6:29 p.m. on Oct. 13 someone called 911 about Rohrer and Sunshine Rae, according to a release of the call.

The caller asked police to do something about Rohrer, telling the dispatcher he was using the dog to gain sympathy from potential donors and putting the animal in danger in a high-traffic area without being secured by a leash.

The 911 dispatcher told the caller a police officer would check on the situation. Rohrer would be arrested a short time later.

Rohrer claims the dog cannot be on a leash and provide its service to him. He said service dogs don't always need to be leashed.

"When I walk, she walks. When I stop, she stops. When I turn, she turns," Rohrer said of Sunshine Rae. "That's the sign of a highly trained service dog. A leash would prevent her from performing her tasks, which is covered under ADA (Americans with Disability Act) law."

Rohrer also claims he was trying to give the officer his Veteran Affairs identification at the time of his arrest. He said he had contact with one of the two officers three days earlier.

Rohrer claims police acted too aggressively toward him and Sunshine Rae.

"They assaulted me and slammed me on the car and then tased my dog and then assaulted me some more," Rohrer said. "They sat and laughed at me as I begged and pleaded for my dog. They ignored my calls for help. They didn't care that I needed my service dog.

"I think they (officers) were upset that I said I was going to take it to trial," he said.

Rohrer also disputes the official account of what Gastonia Police say happened with his service dog.

Gastonia Police say Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement took custody of Rohrer's dog after his arrest. The county agency released Sunshine Rae to a friend of Rohrer’s, who took the animal to a home in Cleveland County, where it got loose and then killed.

Friends posted Rohrer's $3,000 bail the day after his arrest. He said through phone calls made at the Gaston County jail he learned the county Animal Control did not have his dog.

After his release, he would find out his dog had escaped from where it was in Cleveland County and was missing.

Rohrer tried to kill himself after finding out his dog had died, he said. He tried to throw himself into oncoming traffic, adding he walked the streets so long, sometimes without shoes, that he created pressure ulcers on his feet, putting him temporarily in a wheelchair.

Police say they realize part of the questions from the community concern the treatment of the dog.

"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," according to the Oct. 30 statement Gastonia Police. "The Department also fully understands the emotional impact that this case has had on the local community and on the United States military community."

Rohrer has lived in Gaston County off-and-on for about two years and had been living on the streets for about eight months. He blames his PTSD for the inability to live with others.

Since his arrest Rohrer has found support from beyond just Gaston County. A GoFundMe account established to help him with legal fees and mental health help started with a goal of $3,000 and has already raised more than $22,000 from more than 550 donors.

"I'm completely blown away by the outpouring of support," Rohrer said. "It's not something I'm used to."

Rohrer has been staying at Bended Knee Outdoors, a Catawba County-based nonprofit organization that helps veterans since Oct. 25.

He believes officers need more training in dealing with veterans with mental health issues, especially those with service dogs. He believes cases like his get repeated across the country, and hopes he can help bring about change.

"We're all coming together and trying to make a positive change," he said. "Not just in this community, but all over the nation."

Rohrer will have his day in Gaston County District Court on Dec. 30 to deal with the misdemeanor charges against him.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Homeless veteran hopes his Gastonia arrest sparks change nationwide