Cops Assault Disabled Veteran, Tase His Dog—a Federal Judge Just Gave Him a Chance to Fight Back

A veteran has scored a major legal victory after he was assaulted and falsely arrested by police officers in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Joshua Rohrer, a disabled military veteran, was homeless and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when he was accosted by multiple police officers who accused him of panhandling.

On the day of the confrontation, he was standing near a shopping center with Sunshine, his emotional support dog. He had become known in the community for being a friendly face. “We would walk around and smile and wave at people,” he said in a story I covered at RedState. “I was making friends and things like that. It just became my routine, something to get me through the day.”

He did not ask passersby for money. However, many who came to know him would give him food and cash voluntarily. However, he soon became a target for two Gastonia Police Department officers who told him to leave the area even though he had not committed a crime.

Under North Carolina law at the time, it was not illegal for a homeless individual to receive cash or food from others as long as they weren’t actively soliciting them. Officer Maurice Brooks interacted with Rohrer on several occasions. (Read more from “Cops Assault Disabled Veteran, Tase His Dog—a Federal Judge Just Gave Him a Chance to Fight Back” HERE)