On September 26, a gaming division engineering supervisor from The New York Times was fatally shot in a parking lot at a sports ground in Dublin, California. The police arrested his 77-year-old Chinese father-in-law and mother-in-law on suspicion of murder.
The Dublin Police Services stated that at 3:08 pm on Saturday, a police officer passing by the Dublin Sports Grounds at 6700 Dublin Boulevard found 40-year-old Jonathan McKinsey lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. McKinsey was pronounced dead at the scene, and multiple 911 calls were made to the police.
Captain Campos mentioned that, with the help of witnesses, the police were able to locate and detain two suspects who were still in the vicinity within minutes. The suspects were identified as the victim’s father-in-law, Shouyong Zhang, and mother-in-law, Shili Chen, both 77 years old and residents of Dublin. They are currently being held at the Santa Rita Jail on charges of murder, conspiracy, reckless discharge of a firearm, and endangering the safety of a child.
The couple has been accused of various offenses, including murder, conspiracy, recklessly firing a gun, and endangering the safety of a child (which could result in serious injury or death). It is unclear whether the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has formally charged the couple. According to KTVU, their arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday morning on September 30.
The police have confirmed that all known suspects are in custody, and there is no ongoing threat to the public from this incident. However, the motive behind the crime remains unknown.
Court records reviewed by the New York Post showed that McKinsey had been charged with two counts of child abuse by the Alameda County prosecutor in 2025.
At the time, McKinsey’s wife, Candice Jang, called the Dublin police to report that McKinsey had slapped her 6-year-old son. She also disclosed a previous incident of domestic violence in 2018 when McKinsey caused bruising to her left arm.
When officers visited their home, they found their 2-year-old child alone in a room upstairs while McKinsey was out shopping.
McKinsey denied both charges and was granted bail on the condition of attending parenting classes.
A spokesperson for The New York Times confirmed that McKinsey served as the Director of Engineering in the gaming division for over three years. According to the Pleasanton Weekly, he worked remotely for The New York Times.
Witness Assad Razawi told the San Francisco Chronicle that he heard five to six gunshots while parked across the street from the park and saw a man fall to the ground in the parking lot. Other witnesses reported the couple’s whereabouts to the police. Some witnesses claimed that the couple took turns shooting McKinsey.
The incident took place in a parking lot adjacent to a playground and youth sports facilities. Local resident Kevin Stein mentioned that the area is usually lively with children and families on Saturdays.