Crime & Safety

Competency Hearing Granted for Suspect in Laboy Shooting

Defense attorneys claim Kashif Bashir suffers from auditory hallucinations.

The man accused of shooting Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy will face a mental competency hearing after a judge granted a defense motion Friday, according to NBC Washington.

Kashif Bashir, 27, is facing one count of attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer, one count of aggravated malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The cab driver was indicted by an Alexandria Circuit Court grand jury Monday.

See: Suspect in Laboy Shooting Indicted by Grand Jury

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Bashir's defense attorneys said Friday that he suffers from auditory hallucinations and believes that people involved in his case are speaking to him telepathically, according to NBC Washington.

According to the report:

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During last month's hearing, for example, Bashir reportedly thought both the prosecutor and judge were sending him telepathic messages. His attorneys wrote Bashir also thinks they "shape-shift, manipulate their age and walk through walls."

His attorneys also wrote Bashir "lacks substantial capacity to understand the proceedings against him."

A prominent forensic psychologist who interviewed Bashir calls him "deeply and densely delusional."

A second forensic psychologist has been appointed to evaluate the suspect for 45 days to see if he is competent to stand trial. After the evaluation, lawyers will return to court to determine if Bashir is competent to stand trial.

Bashir is being represented by the Alexandria Public Defender’s Office.

Prosecutors handling the case are Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Molly Sullivan and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter.

Laboy, 45, of Alexandria, was responding to a look out from the department for a yellow cab minivan for a minor offense on Feb. 27 when he was shot in the head.

Soon after Laboy approached the cab, the Department of Emergency Communications began receiving emergency calls reporting an officer down.

Laboy was flown to Medstar Washington Hospital Center from the fields outside of Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy and had several hours of surgery.

The driver of the cab fled the scene at Wilkes and St. Asaph streets when a patrol officer spotted the vehicle going south on Washington Street into Fairfax County.

A police chase ensued and Fairfax County Police took over the situation when the cab entered their jurisdiction. The cab crashed off Fort Hunt Road and Bashir was arrested.

Laboy was released from the hospital in late April. His wife spoke with reporters this week about his recovery and his desire to return to the police department.

See: Wife of Officer Peter Laboy: 'It Was Not His Time to Go'


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