Prince William County

Doctor Testifies Cab Driver Involved in Shooting of Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy is Paranoid Schizophrenic

The man who shot a Alexandria police officer in February 2013 believed the FBI was controlling his behavior and that he was dead already, a doctor testified in court Wednesday.

Testifying for Kashif Bashir's defense, psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Scheneman testified that Bashir is a paranoid schizophrenic who had lost touch with reality. Bashir, who was a cab driver at the time of the shooting, has pleaded not guilty by reasons of insanity to all charges against him.

Bashir, 29, is charged with attempted capital murder and aggravated malicious wounding for the February 27, 2013 shooting of motorcycle officer Laboy during a traffic stop.

During Bashir's defense, his attorneys highlighted a history of mental health issues in the Bashir family, and Scheneman testified that mental illness is genetic.

Witnesses described one horrific incident when the family lived in a small village in Pakistan: the family found Bashir's mother had set herself on fire. It was Bashir who ran to get buckets of water to put the flames out. She died 10 days later.

Also during testimony Wednesday, Bashir's father, Mohamad, said he shared the cab with his son. He testified that in 2012 he found a gun under a seat of the cab and accidentally discharged a shot.

Mohamad Bashir reported the gun to Prince William County police. Kashif Bashir has said he knew nothing about the gun.

Bashir's father also testified he was surprised Kashif had been drinking the day of the shooting because because their Islamic religious beliefs prohibit alcohol. Mohamad admitted he was sometimes concerned by his son's behavior.

Bashir's sister testified that Kashif was quiet and kept to himself. Friends from high school testified that Bashir used to be social, but had become withdrawn in recent years.

Laboy is recovering from the injury

and has had to relearn how to speak and walk. The prosecution presented doctors who testified Peter Laboy suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of the shooting.

Contact Us