Business owners provide faith, support for US vet attacked, injured by group of kids

CHARLOTTE — Local business owners stepped up to help a U.S. Army veteran who was attacked and robbed by a group of kids, which left him injured and without a bicycle.

Two teens and a 12-year-old were arrested after the attack on July 12 along Dalton Avenue in north Charlotte, police said.

Paul Withrow said he got into an argument with the kids, which led to the assault.

Local business owners Dave and Joy Fowler saw Channel 9′s story on the crime.

“When we started this company, we decided that, ‘Hey, whatever we go through, whatever we do, we’re gonna give back,’” said Dave Fowler, co-owner of Caliber Contracting and Demolition.

“I put myself in his shoes and I did exactly what I would’ve wanted someone to do for me,” Joy Fowler said.

They went to Withrow’s Kannapolis home Friday to help restore his trust, optimism and faith.

The Fowlers presented Withrow with a new bike.

“We hope it will restore your faith in humanity a little bit,” Dave Fowler said.

The Fowlers wanted to share their good deed, because they want everyone to remember there are good people in the world.

They also hope their actions will inspire young people to follow in their footsteps instead of being like the kids who caused Withrow so much pain.

‘I want them stopped’

‘Could have died’: U.S. Army vet beaten, robbed by teens in north Charlotte, police report says

“I could’ve died right there on the spot, or I would’ve died in the street bleeding from the head,” Withrow told Channel 9 a few days after the attack.

Withrow said he doesn’t know the three teens who left him bruised and battered. Doctors had to put five staples in his head due to the injuries.

“One of them, the little short one, he gets off the bicycle and takes his seat off and comes and hits me,” Withrow said. “Hit me in the head with the bicycle seat.”

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Withrow told police the teens got away with his bike, bags, cellphone and keys.

He’s thankful officers found him in the street and took him to a hospital.

Withrow learned officers tracked down his stolen bike, but the other items have not been recovered.

“The material stuff that they took from my bicycle, the keys to my car, my telephone, everything in that little personal bag,” Withrow said.

Then on Friday, police said two 13-year-olds and a 12-year-old were arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and armed robbery.

The grandfather of four hope detectives can track down his bags and that the teens are held responsible for his physical and emotional pain.

“I want them stopped,” Withrow said. “If they do it to me, they’ll do it to someone else.”

Withrow is still waiting to get his bike back from the police. He said officers told him it’s being processed as evidence.

Call police if you have any information about the case.

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