After Police Tased His Service Dog, a Veteran Pushes Forward for Justice for Sunshine
Video Story Tonight
Gastonia, North Carolina – Army veteran Joshua Rohrer is in federal court fighting for justice for Sunshine Rae, his 2-year-old Belgian Malinois service dog who was tased by police and then killed. That was more than 4 years ago.
On October 13, 2021, Rohrer was arrested for allegedly panhandling while Sunshine was by his side. Officers Maurice Taylor III and Cierra Brooks reportedly used a stun gun on Sunshine during the encounter. She panicked, fled the scene, was later by a car, and died.
Police claimed Sunshine had bitten an officer. Body camera footage later reportedly told a completely different story and contradicted that claim entirely. Rohrer has spent every year since fighting back.
Then just last Augugst, a federal judge ruled that his excessive force lawsuit against the City of Gastonia and the two officers involved can move forward, and the officers’ request for qualified immunity was denied, meaning they can reportedly be held personally liable for what happened.
While all of this has been going on, Rohrer founded The Sunshine Project to advocate for service animal rights, an end to qualified immunity in animal abuse cases, and reforms to North Carolina’s body camera laws.
In 2026, he received a Sunshine Award for his work on government transparency and police accountability.
And after losing Sunshine, Rohrer was gifted a new service dog puppy he named Justice Rae, carrying her memory forward every single day.
CALL TO ACTION:
Gastonia, North Carolina Police
704.866.6702
Gaston County District Attorney Travis Paige
704.852.3113
Gastonia Mayor Richard Franks
City Office: 704.866.6720
Phone: 704.284.1985
mayor.franks@gastonianc.gov
SOURCE: Joshua Rohr; WBTV; N.C. Open Government Coalition; Gastonia, NC Police
#dogs#JusticeForSunshine#GastoniaNc#TheRealPaulMueller
Fair use. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.