NYT technology executive killed in California shooting, in-laws arrested

Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old technology executive at The New York Times, was shot dead at a sports complex in Dublin, California, on Saturday, according to the supplied material. McKinsey was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Dublin Sports Grounds at about 3 p.m. local time.

First responders tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told authorities that two masked attackers approached McKinsey and opened fire. The supplied account said the two suspects allegedly took turns shooting before a nearby police officer arrested them.

The suspects were identified as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77. Police booked the couple into Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of murder. They also face allegations including first-degree murder, felony conspiracy, unlawful or dangerous discharge of a firearm and child endangerment.

McKinsey was married to Candice Jang, described in the report as Zhang and Chen’s daughter. Police officers had been patrolling the area when emergency dispatchers began receiving multiple 911 calls about the shooting. According to the supplied account, McKinsey began his technology career in software engineering, including roles at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Oracle.

He later worked at Coursera, UKG and Splunk. He joined The New York Times in early 2023 as a senior engineering manager working on its games platform. By late 2025, he was director of engineering for games player experience, leading a 25-member team.

The supplied material does not state a possible motive for the killing.