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Who was Jonathan McKinsey? New York Times Games director shot dead in California; 77-year-old in-laws arrested
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, a New York Times engineering director, was shot dead in a car park in Dublin, California. His wife's parents, both 77, have been arrested, and court records show a custody dispu
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Jonathan McKinsey, 40, a New York Times engineering director, was shot dead in a car park in Dublin, California. His wife's parents, both 77, have been arrested, and court records show a custody dispute.
4 min readSep 29, 2026 04:29 PM IST First published on: Sep 29, 2026 at 04:20 PM IST
New York Times executive was fatally shot in California. (Photo: linkedin/Jonathan McKinsey)
Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old director of engineering for The New York Times Games, was shot dead Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of a sports complex in Dublin, California, with police arresting his 77-year-old in-laws in connection with the killing.
Dublin Police Services said a sergeant driving near the Dublin Sports Grounds shortly after 3 pm found McKinsey lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police identified the suspects as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, a married couple and McKinsey’s parents-in-law. Both were arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into Santa Rita Jail. Police said the investigation remains active and that detectives are examining the circumstances that led to the killing.
What happened at the sports complex
Dublin police said multiple witnesses began calling 911 around the time the sergeant found McKinsey. Witnesses also pointed officers towards the couple, who remained near the scene.
Police located and detained Zhang and Chen within minutes, according to the city of Dublin. The department credited witnesses and community members with helping officers make the arrests.
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Witness Assad Razawi told local media that he heard five or six gunshots before seeing McKinsey fall in the parking lot. Other witnesses reported seeing the suspects leave the area.
Some witnesses have said the two suspects took turns shooting McKinsey, but police have not publicly confirmed that account or identified which suspect, if either, fired the weapon.
There were no outstanding suspects and police said there was no known threat to public safety.
Who was Jonathan McKinsey?
McKinsey was the director of engineering for New York Times Games and had joined The New York Times in January 2023, according to the newspaper.
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Before joining the Times, he held software and engineering roles at companies and organisations including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Oracle, Coursera, UKG and Splunk. He also had a master’s degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.
The Times confirmed his role but declined to comment further on his legal disputes.
Shooting came amid divorce and custody dispute
The killing occurred as McKinsey and his wife, Candice Jang, were involved in divorce and child-custody proceedings, according to court records cited by Associated Press and Bay Area news organisations.
The couple had been married for more than a decade and had three young children. A family-law hearing was scheduled for shortly after McKinsey’s death. Court records show that Jang had sought a domestic-violence protection order against McKinsey. She alleged a series of incidents involving herself and the couple’s children.
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McKinsey was separately charged with misdemeanour child-abuse offences and pleaded not guilty, according to court records cited by local media. He was out on bail at the time of his death and had been seeking entry into a mental-health diversion programme, AP reported, citing the San Jose Mercury News.
McKinsey later sought a protection order against Jang and filed for divorce. He also sought greater access to the couple’s children.
Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old from Dublin, California, was fatally shot in a sports complex parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 26. McKinsey was the Director of Engineering for The New York Times Games and was going through a contentious divorce with the suspects' daughter,… pic.twitter.com/kN1ryVIyrD— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) September 29, 2026
In his court filings, McKinsey made allegations against Jang and her mother, Chen. He alleged that Chen had directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and one of the children. He also accused Jang of abuse during medical procedures related to his transition, according to reporting based on court documents.
The allegations made by both sides have not been adjudicated in court.
Mashkoora Khan is a journalist and sub-editor on the global desk at The Indian Express. She actively covers issues around Canada visa, immigration policy, global affairs, and international developments. A trained multimedia journalist, she focuses on producing clear, accurate, and reader-centric explainers on policy-driven subjects that directly affect cross-border mobility and global audiences. Experience Mashkoora has worked across digital newsrooms and independent media platforms, with bylines in national and international publications including Al Jazeera, Down to Earth, The Wire, and Maktoob. Her professional experience spans breaking news, policy explainers, live coverage, and multimedia reporting. At The Indian Express, she is part of the global desk, where she contributes to daily international coverage and plays a role in editing and producing stories on foreign policy, immigration systems, and regulatory changes — particularly those related to Canada’s study, work, and permanent residence pathways. Expertise Her core areas of reporting include: • Canada visa and immigration: Coverage of policy updates, eligibility changes, application processes, and government announcements, with an emphasis on factual explainers and verified information. • Global affairs: Reporting on international politics, diplomacy, and geopolitical developments. • Migration and human impact: Stories that examine how policy decisions affect individuals, families, and migrant communities. Her work prioritises accuracy, sourcing, and context, helping readers navigate complex systems without speculation or exaggeration. Authoritativeness and trustworthiness Mashkoora's reporting is grounded in official data, government releases, and on-record sources, in line with The Indian Express’ editorial standards. Her articles aim to distinguish clearly between verified information and developing updates, making her coverage a reliable reference point for readers seeking clarity on international and immigration-related issues. ... Read More
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