Gunman Kills Wife, Wounds Youth, Self at Dallas Courthouse

A man shot his estranged wife, a teen-age bystander and himself outside a courtroom Tuesday, and judges stopped work for the rest of the day to protest lax security. The wife died several hours later.

The shooting was the second in six months in a Texas courthouse. In an emergency meeting Tuesday, Dallas County commissioners approved $200,000 to improve courthouse security.

The gunman, Van Huynh, 30, was listed in critical condition at Parkland Memorial Hospital. His wife, Ly Dang, 26, died of gunshot wounds to the head, hospital spokeswoman Liz Winter said. Rogelio Gutierrez, 16, was in good condition with a wound to the leg.

The couple were on Tuesday’s docket for a custody hearing when the shooting broke out, sheriff’s Lt. Larry Forsyth said. Dang’s family members say she had been seeking protection and that Huynh had a history of violence.