Honolulu police investigated an apparent murder/suicide attempt Tuesday night at Club Queen Bee at Queen and Cooke streets.
Abuse preceded
bar shootingA murder/suicide attempt allegedly
was a couple's latest violent episode
Court records tell a tale of abuse and fear between a Kakaako hostess-bar employee and her estranged boyfriend, both of whom remained in critical condition yesterday after an apparent murder/suicide attempt Tuesday night.
Police sources said Hwa Yong Park, 52, allegedly shot Sun Wang, 47, at Club Queen Bee, where she worked, then turned the handgun on himself. Wang was shot twice in the neck and head. Park has a bullet lodged in his vertebrae at the base of his neck after he allegedly shot himself in the mouth.
When officers arrived at the Queen Bee about 9:20 p.m., they found the victim and suspect wounded inside the employees' break room. Witnesses told officers they heard an argument followed by shots fired from inside the room.
Homicide Lt. David Kamai said a 9 mm handgun was recovered from the scene and was believed to have been used in the shooting.
Though police said they are still investigating a motive for the shooting, court records indicate that Park and Wang had been living together but that Wang filed for a temporary restraining order on March 10, alleging Park repeatedly abused and threatened her.
According to the court filing, Wang said Park "refuses to accept the fact that our relationship is over" and that at one point he allegedly told her, "If I ever see you with another man, I will kill you with a sashimi knife."
Wang said that Park kicked, bit and raped her in January. In February she said he punched and slapped her and stepped on her in an attempt to "crush my head with his foot."
Wang also alleged that Park constantly harassed her.
He "calls me every night and sleeps at the parking lot of my apartment building," the filing says. "He watches and follows me wherever I go. ... I see him every morning watching my apartment. ... When I don't answer his calls, he would call my friends to make threats."
On March 24, Wang was granted a court order restraining Park from threatening, contacting or coming within 100 yards of her.
Police records show that Park, a native of South Korea, was arrested for harassment in 2001 and twice for abuse in 2000 but that the charges were eventually dismissed. The records do not show who the victim was in each case. According to state records, Park has no convictions.
Park's birthday was Tuesday, the same day as the shootings. Police have not said whether that played a part in the case. Park was taken to the Straub Clinic and Hospital, while Wang remains at the Queens Medical Center. Police said there has been no change in either of their conditions since Tuesday night.
Wang's attorney, Kathy Kim, who helped her file the restraining order against Park, was not available for comment yesterday.
