A judge ruled there is probable cause to take the case against a taxi driver accused of shooting an Alexandria, Va., police officer in the head to the grand jury.
Kashif Bashir, 27, appeared at a preliminary hearing Wednesday. He is accused of shooting Officer Peter Laboy Feb. 27 following a police chase into Fairfax County.
Fellow Officer Frank Powers was investigating a complaint about a suspicious person at a shop in Old Town when the shopkeeper spotted the person in a taxi, according to prosecutors. Powers testified he tried to pull the taxi over, but the driver refused and Powers issued a lookout while in pursuit.
A few minutes later and a few blocks away, Laboy tried to stop the taxi and was shot in the forehead. Powers described a "waterfall of blood" coming from Laboy's head.
The taxi driver fled but crashed after a high-speed chase on the George Washington Parkway, and police arrested Bashir.
A bullet found at the scene of the shooting matched a gun found in Bashir's taxi, according to testimony at the hearing. Police also found one empty can of Natural Light beer outside the taxi, three empty cans inside the taxi and two other cans of the beer inside the taxi.
Laboy was seriously injured but survived, and he is defying the odds with his recovery, doctors have said.
On her blog detailing his recovery, Laboy's wife, Suzanne, wrote Tuesday that a gaming system was delivered to her husband at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital, but, "If it deters therapy, I'm taking it out of the room. Lol!! Today was a good day."
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In Alexandria, the community has come together to raise funds for the family's needs.
Those wishing to help the Laboy family can drop off a donation at the Alexandria Police Department (3600 Wheeler Ave.) or send a donation to:
Alexandria Police Association c/o Peter Laboy
P.O. Box 1228
Alexandria, VA 22313
The family also requests that those who want to donate blood on behalf of Laboy call the Washington Hospital Center blood donor service at 866-49-DONOR.
A fundraiser for Laboy will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 21 at TopGolf in Alexandria.
