Gastonia, N.C. - October 30, 2021 - 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.
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