Police said the two 77-year-old suspects are the victim’s parents-in-law and were detained within minutes of the Saturday shooting.
DUBLIN, CA — A 77-year-old married couple was arrested on suspicion of murder after their 40-year-old son-in-law was fatally shot Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of Dublin Sports Grounds, authorities said.
Dublin Police Services identified the victim as Jonathan McKinsey, 40, of Dublin. Police identified the suspects as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77 and also of Dublin. Authorities said Zhang and Chen are married and are McKinsey’s parents-in-law. Police have not announced a motive and said detectives are continuing to examine evidence to determine what led to the killing.
The shooting was reported at about 3:08 p.m. Sept. 26 at Dublin Sports Grounds, 6700 Dublin Blvd. A Dublin Police Services sergeant was driving near the sports complex when he saw a man lying in the parking lot and stopped to investigate, according to the city. At about the same time, dispatchers began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting the incident. Additional officers and emergency medical personnel were sent to the scene.
Officers found McKinsey in the middle of the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said witnesses and other community members helped officers locate the two suspects, who had remained nearby. Both were detained within minutes of the shooting.
Zhang and Chen were arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into Santa Rita Jail, according to Dublin Police Services. Police said there were no outstanding suspects and no known continuing threat to the public. Authorities have not publicly described what role each suspect is alleged to have played in the shooting or said which person, if either, fired a weapon.
Witness accounts reported by Bay Area news organizations provided additional details about the scene, but police have not confirmed all of those accounts. One witness told local media that he heard several gunshots before seeing McKinsey collapse and seeing a man and woman leave the area. Investigators have not publicly released a detailed account of the events immediately before the shooting.
McKinsey worked as a director of engineering for New York Times Games, according to reports citing confirmation from the company. He had worked on the Times’ games engineering operation after holding other technology and engineering positions. His professional background also included computer science education, according to publicly available professional information reported by Bay Area news organizations.
Public court records reviewed by Bay Area news outlets show McKinsey and his wife had been involved in legal proceedings before his death, including divorce, child custody and restraining-order matters. Reports also said McKinsey had faced misdemeanor child-related charges stemming from an earlier case and had pleaded not guilty. Authorities have not said whether any previous family or court dispute was connected to Saturday’s shooting, and no such connection has been established publicly.
Some reports citing jail and court records listed additional allegations associated with the arrests of Zhang and Chen. Dublin Police Services’ public announcement, however, said both were arrested on suspicion of murder under California Penal Code Section 187. The police department has said the homicide investigation remains active and has not released further information explaining the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The killing occurred at Dublin Sports Grounds, a public sports complex near Dublin Boulevard in the East Bay city. The initial police announcement said all known suspects were in custody shortly after the shooting. In an update the following day, police identified McKinsey and the two suspects and credited witnesses with helping officers make the arrests quickly.
Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding McKinsey’s death. As of Sept. 28, police had not publicly identified a motive or released a complete account of what happened before the gunfire. The arrests represent allegations, and authorities have not announced findings establishing criminal guilt.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.