Jonathan McKinsey, a director of engineering for the New York Times games department, was fatally shot on September 26 in the parking lot of Dublin Sports Grounds, a playground in an affluent suburb east of Oakland, California. McKinsey had been there for visitation with his three young children when the attack occurred.
Authorities have charged McKinsey’s wife Candice Jang’s parents, Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang, with first-degree murder, including a special circumstance allegation of “lying in wait,” which under California law can result in life imprisonment without parole. The couple, described by their court-appointed attorneys as elderly grandparents, were apprehended at the scene shortly after the shooting with firearms found in their vehicle. Both are currently held without bail. Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed a motive, and Candice Jang, 46, has not been implicated in the incident.
The killing abruptly ended a prolonged and contentious family dispute that had been playing out in court documents over several years. McKinsey and Jang, married for 15 years, had been engaged in a bitter divorce and custody battle marked by mutual accusations of domestic violence and emotional abuse. McKinsey, who was transgender and undergoing gender transition care since 2010, alleged that Jang exercised “complete control” over him and that her mother had repeatedly disparaged him for his gender identity. He also recounted episodes of physical abuse by Jang, including being hit with household objects and being coerced into eating a dead cockroach during one altercation.
Jang, in turn, accused McKinsey of inflicting a fractured vertebra on her during an argument and severely striking one of their sons. In October 2025, McKinsey was charged with corporal injury to a child after Jang reported he struck one of their sons, leaving a noticeable bruise. As a result, Jang obtained a temporary restraining order granting her sole custody of their children, limiting McKinsey to supervised visitation of just one hour per week. McKinsey had been seeking expanded visitation rights, emphasizing his participation in “Parenting Without Violence” classes and citing positive supervisory reports from his visits.
Friends and community members described McKinsey as a gentle and devoted father who frequently sought support from his local church to supervise his time with his children. A congregant, Bette Felton, recalled him running after his children at the playground and noted that he never expressed animosity toward anyone, focusing instead on his relationship with his kids.
The family’s discord had deep roots, with both sides presenting a troubled and volatile domestic environment in court filings. McKinsey described earlier instances of violence, including an assault by Jang’s father during his recovery from surgery. Likewise, Jang claimed serious physical harm from McKinsey and expressed fears for the children’s well-being, which fueled her legal actions to limit his contact.
Surveillance video and witness accounts depict the shooters calmly leaving the scene after the attack in a black Honda Civic. Police swiftly apprehended Chen and Zhang, with one of them found in possession of a gun. The defendants’ case files have been sealed, and further details on the investigation have not been released.
In court, defense attorneys have indicated their intent to focus on the broader context of the family dynamics, suggesting that McKinsey may have exhibited violent tendencies, though they stopped short of blaming him outright for the fatal shooting. The case remains under close watch as legal proceedings continue in Alameda County Superior Court.