Chong Sun Wargny, a 53-year-old Asian woman, was the owner of Happy Days Bar, a cafe in the Korea Town area of Dallas, Texas. Known to some by her Korean name, Kang Hee-jung, she was a mother and a familiar presence behind the bar at her establishment on Royal Lane.
On the night of April 3, 2023, Wargny was working at her bar when a man named Wan Cho, 62, entered shortly before 10 p.m. and asked for a drink.
According to an arrest affidavit, Wargny ignored him, and Cho called her an insulting name. She responded with the same insult, and he left the establishment. About 15 minutes later, Cho returned and once again demanded a drink. When Wargny refused to serve him, he pulled out a gun and shot her multiple times in front of several witnesses.
As the shooting unfolded, other people inside the bar sprang into action to restrain Cho. During the struggle, Cho allegedly fired his weapon twice at one of the witnesses, but missed. The bystanders, whom police later called heroes, successfully detained Cho and held him until officers from the Dallas Police Department arrived at the scene.
Emergency responders transported Wargny to a local hospital, but she died from her injuries. Police arrested Wan Cho at the scene. Investigators learned that the shooting stemmed from the argument over Cho being refused service. Authorities also noted that Cho had a prior criminal history, including a 2015 assault conviction that occurred after he became intoxicated and was denied service at another restaurant.
Wan Cho was taken to the Dallas County Jail and charged with murder for the death of Chong Sun Wargny and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at the witness. As of April 2023, he was being held in custody as his case proceeded through the legal system.
