An officer who was seriously injured when a taxi driver allegedly shot him in the head is suing the Alexandria Yellow Cab company, alleging negligent hiring.
Kashif Bashir allegedly shot Alexandria police Officer Peter Laboy in the head Feb. 27 as Laboy attempted a routine stop of Bashir's taxi. Bashir was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and two counts of using a weapon in the commission of a felony.
Bashir, who had been working for Alexandria Yellow Cab for four years, was wanted in February for acting in a "menacing and threatening manner," according to the lawsuit. A gun and several cans of beer - some empty and some full - were found in Bashir's cab after his arrest.
The lawsuit alleges Alexandria Yellow Cab did not perform any type of "adequate or effective background screening prior to hiring Bashir" and other drivers, failing in ensuring public safety.
Laboy is suing for $10 million total in damages for negligent hiring and negligent entrustment.
Prior to the Feb. 27 incident, Bashir had been convicted or charged with more than a dozen violations during the past few years, including:
• Failure to obey a traffic signal, 2007
• Speeding, 2009
• Failure to pay attention, 2012
• Failure to obey a highway sign, 2012
• Tampering with a vehicle, 2011
• Speeding, 2007
• Failure to wear seat belt, 2007
• Failure to pay full time and attention, 2010
• Speeding, 2011
• Failure to obey a traffic signal, 2013
• Violation of good behavior on a misdemeanor offense
• Illegal sale of unapproved equipment
• Misdemeanor assault, 2011
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Laboy is a 17-year veteran of the Alexandria Police Department.
Bashir was granted a competency hearing last month. His defense attorneys claim he suffers from auditory hallucinations and believes people involved in the case are speaking to him telepathically.
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