Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old engineering executive at The New York Times, was shot and killed in a parking lot at Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California, according to law enforcement and local reporting. Witnesses described how his elderly in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, ambushed him and took turns riddling his body with bullets.
The Dublin Parking Lot Shooting and Arrest of Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office arrested Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen following the Saturday afternoon shooting. Prosecutors charged the elderly couple with murder after witnesses watched the pair open fire with two guns in the sports complex parking area. Law enforcement officials zeroed in on a family conflict as a possible motive for the attack, noting that McKinsey was in the middle of a contentious custody battle with his estranged wife, Candice Jang.
McKinsey and Jang face bitter legal disputes
Court documents obtained by the California Post and reported by The Mercury News revealed a history of bitter legal disputes between McKinsey and Jang, who married in 2011 after McKinsey transitioned from female to male in 2010. Jang filed for divorce in 2025, alleging that McKinsey had become abusive toward her and one of their three children, who were ages 3, 5, and 7. Both parties filed restraining orders against each other in 2025, and McKinsey faced two counts of misdemeanor child abuse before being released from jail on the condition that he complete parenting classes. The estranged couple was scheduled to appear in court for a custody hearing on the Friday prior to the shooting.
McKinsey alleges Jang abused him during pregnancy
In a 2025 court filing, McKinsey stated that he had once been pregnant with an embryo from Jang’s IVF treatment, describing himself in the documents as a pregnant transgender man. McKinsey claimed in the records that Jang grew jealous during the pregnancy, regularly started fights, forced him to sleep on a living room futon, and threw a cup that struck his stomach. He alleged that at 22 weeks, while they were packing to move from Berkeley to San Jose, Jang forced him to move heavy boxes despite the hiring of professional movers. McKinsey claimed the heavy lifting caused him to start bleeding and triggered premature labor. Although he gave birth to their son, Romeo Preston McKinsey, court documents stated that the infant died within an hour of birth. Jang countered in later filings that McKinsey frequently blamed others for problems and detailed an incident where McKinsey gave their children a birthday book about a young girl mourning a deceased mother, which Jang found deeply disturbing given prior threats she alleged McKinsey made against her life and her parents.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Case
When did the shooting happen?
The shooting took place on the afternoon of Saturday in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California.
Who was arrested and charged with the murder?
Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77-year-old in-laws of the victim, were arrested by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and charged with murder.
What was the professional background of Jonathan McKinsey?
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, worked as the director of engineering for games player experience at The New York Times, having joined the newspaper in early 2023.
What legal proceedings were active at the time of the death?
McKinsey and his estranged wife, Candice Jang, were in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody dispute involving their three children, with a court date scheduled for the Friday prior to the shooting.
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