WASHINGTON – A grand jury will hear evidence against a Woodbridge man accused of critically injuring Alexandria police officer Peter Laboy.
Kashif Bashir was in an Alexandria courtroom Wednesday for a preliminary hearing on initial charges of malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The court appearance gave prosecutors their first opportunity to outline their case against Bashir. And a judge determined there was sufficient evidence to send the case to a grand jury, which will decide whether to formally charge Bashir.
But no evidence was presented that offered any explanation why the veteran officer was shot.
Dressed in a green prison jump suit, Bashir listened intently as witnesses discussed the events of Feb. 27 that led to his own arrest.
A teacher at a nearby school told the court that she heard the gunshot and rushed her first grade students inside. And a postman said he saw Laboy lying in the street and called 911 for help.
Forensic evidenced tied a bullet fragment found at the scene to a gun found in Bashir’s cab that day.
Bashir was driving a Yellow Cab when he encountered Laboy. Police have said that Laboy had radioed that he was looking for Bashir, who police had received complaints about from Old Town businesses, when other officers heard the shots. Police have said that Laboy never left his motorcycle.
Laboy was shot multiple times but his most serious injury was a wound to his head. Doctors have said that he faces months of recovery.
Bashir led police on a chase after the shooting. Police arrested him after he crashed into another vehicle at Fort Hunt Road and Belle View Boulevard in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County.
He is being held at the Arlington County Jail as a precaution, sources said.
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WTOP’s Hank Silverberg contributed to this report from Alexandria. Follow @hsilverbergwtop and @WTOP on Twitter.
