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

The wife of wounded Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy called his recovery from a gunshot wound to the head “a miracle” Tuesday at a press conference at police headquarters.

“I definitely think it is a miracle. It was not his time to go,” Suzanne Laboy said. “Part of the miracle is that everyone did their job that day.”

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

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.

Laboy was released from the hospital in late April and is facing a year of aggressive physical therapy.

He had his most recent surgery May 8, Suzanne Laboy said, and has yet to be cleared to resume therapy.

“Every day is a different day,” she said. “There’s good and bad. Some days he doesn’t want to get out of bed. Sometimes we don’t.”

But she said her husband “is a fighter” who loves a challenge and hates to lose.

The long hours of therapy—9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a break for lunch most days—have been hard. And her husband says he gets bored, Suzanne Laboy said, sometimes pacing around the house.

“He wants to do stuff,” she said, adding that their four children are thrilled to have their dad home. “He’s getting stronger every day. … You will see him out in public.”

Suzanne Laboy said her husband would be back with the police department with the Motor 8 Unit if Police Chief Earl Cook let him. Right now, however, the long sessions continue. She has been keeping the public posted on the rehabilitation through a journal on CaringBridge.org.

She thanked Alexandria, its citizens and the Alexandria Police Department for the outpouring of love, support and prayers following the Feb. 27 incident. She said she was especially appreciative of the cards the family received from school children.

“I love this city,” she said. “We live here, work here. …We kind of know what city we live in. I know some great people live here.”

Kashif Bashir, the suspect in the shooting, was indicted by an Alexandria Circuit Court grand jury Monday.