Witnesses described two masked people taking turns firing as police investigate the fatal shooting at a busy California sports complex.
DUBLIN, Calif. — A New York Times Games engineering director was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of a busy East Bay sports complex, and police arrested his mother- and father-in-law within minutes of the shooting, authorities said.
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, of Dublin, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the Dublin Sports Grounds shortly after 3 p.m. Sept. 26. Dublin Police Services identified the suspects as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, a married Dublin couple who are McKinsey’s parents-in-law. Police arrested both on suspicion of murder and booked them into Santa Rita Jail. Authorities have not publicly established a motive, and detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing.
A Dublin police sergeant was driving near the sports grounds at about 3:08 p.m. when he noticed a man lying in the middle of the parking lot, according to police. The sergeant stopped as dispatchers began receiving multiple 911 calls about the incident. Additional officers and emergency medical personnel responded, but McKinsey was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses helped officers identify and locate the two suspects, who had remained nearby, police said.
Some witnesses gave news organizations a more detailed account of the shooting. Witnesses told KTVU that the two suspects were masked and appeared to take turns shooting McKinsey. One account described a man firing before handing a gun to a woman, who also fired. Police have not publicly confirmed that sequence or said which suspect allegedly fired a weapon. The witness accounts therefore remain allegations as investigators examine evidence from the scene.
Another witness, Dublin resident Assad Razawi, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was across the street when he heard five or six gunshots. He then saw a man fall in the parking lot and saw a man and woman he believed were connected to the shooting walk away. Other witnesses directed responding officers toward the pair, according to published accounts. Police said the cooperation of witnesses was critical to the rapid arrests.
McKinsey worked for The New York Times as an engineering leader in its Games operation. The newspaper confirmed to several news organizations that he joined the company in January 2023. He had a background in computer science and engineering and had previously worked for technology companies and taught computer science courses. His death brought national attention to a homicide that unfolded in a public sports complex with families and other visitors nearby.
Court records reviewed by news organizations show McKinsey had been involved in an ongoing divorce and child custody dispute with his wife, Candice Jang, the suspects’ daughter. The couple had three young children. Records also show competing allegations of abuse had surfaced during the family dispute. McKinsey had been charged with misdemeanor child abuse offenses in 2025 and pleaded not guilty. He also made allegations against his wife and sought greater access to the children. Those matters had not been resolved when he was killed.
The existence of the family and court disputes does not establish a motive for the shooting. Dublin police have not publicly said that the custody case, the pending criminal case or any of the competing allegations led to McKinsey’s death. Detectives said they were continuing to examine evidence to determine what happened and why. The killing occurred about a week before a scheduled hearing in the divorce case, according to court records reviewed by The Associated Press.
Police initially listed Zhang and Chen as 77, though The Associated Press later reported, citing authorities, that both are 76 and share a Sept. 30, 1949, birthday. The couple were being held at Santa Rita Jail following their arrests. Published jail and court records listed additional allegations connected with the arrests, but the precise basis for some of those allegations had not been publicly explained. It was not immediately clear whether either suspect had retained an attorney.
Dublin Police Services said there are no outstanding suspects and no known continuing threat to the public. The homicide investigation remains active, with detectives reviewing evidence and the circumstances leading to the shooting. Zhang and Chen were expected to appear in court Wednesday as the criminal case moves into its initial stages.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.