Witnesses helped police quickly locate two suspects after the fatal shooting in a busy sports complex parking lot.
DUBLIN, Calif. — A New York Times Games engineering leader was fatally shot in the parking lot of a Northern California sports complex, and police arrested his parents-in-law within minutes after witnesses helped officers locate them, authorities said.
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, of Dublin, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the Dublin Sports Grounds shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday, according to Dublin Police Services. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified the suspects as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77 and also of Dublin. Authorities said the married couple were McKinsey’s parents-in-law and arrested them on suspicion of murder.
The shooting unfolded in a public parking lot at the Dublin Sports Grounds, a city recreation complex on Dublin Boulevard. A police sergeant driving near the grounds at about 3:08 p.m. saw a man lying in the parking lot and stopped to investigate. At about the same time, dispatchers began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting the shooting, police said. Officers and emergency medical personnel were sent to the scene.
Police said witnesses and other community members helped responding officers identify and find Zhang and Chen, who had remained nearby. Officers detained the pair within minutes. Dublin Police Services credited the witnesses with helping officers make the arrests quickly and said investigators were not searching for any additional suspects.
McKinsey worked for The New York Times and led engineering work for its Games operation. The Times confirmed to news organizations that he had worked for the company since January 2023. His death brought national attention to a homicide that occurred in a public recreation area in Dublin, an East Bay city about 35 miles east of San Francisco.
Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the shooting. Police said detectives were examining evidence to determine the circumstances that led to McKinsey’s death. Although court records show that McKinsey and his estranged wife, Candice Jang, had been involved in divorce, custody and domestic violence proceedings, police have not said what role, if any, those disputes played in the killing.
The family court conflict included allegations made by both spouses. McKinsey also had a pending criminal case stemming from allegations involving a child. He had pleaded not guilty. Those proceedings remained unresolved when he was killed, and the existence of the cases does not establish why the shooting occurred.
Zhang and Chen were booked into Santa Rita Jail after their arrests. Records reviewed by news organizations indicated that court appearances were expected Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether either suspect had retained an attorney who could comment publicly on the allegations.
Police said there were no outstanding suspects and no known continuing threat to the public. The homicide investigation remained active as detectives examined evidence and worked to determine what led to the shooting.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.