On September 7, Jonathan McKinsey, a New York Times executive, shared a smiling photo on Facebook. Beneath the post, his father, William Finney II, wrote a warm message hoping his son could visit home soon, expressing love for McKinsey, his wife Candice, and their children.
Fatal ambush in Dublin park
Less than three weeks later, McKinsey, 40, was shot multiple times in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds. Alameda County District Attorney prosecutors allege his 77‑year‑old in‑laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, planned the attack, lying in wait and opening fire “in concert” as witnesses described.
Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire before a Dublin Police Services sergeant arrived and found McKinsey gravely wounded. Witnesses pointed officers toward a black Honda Civic exiting the lot, prompting a high‑risk traffic stop nearby. Court documents say Chen was driving while Zhang sat beside her.
Evidence and arrests
Three witnesses identified Chen and Zhang as the shooters, and surveillance video allegedly captured the couple firing at McKinsey. Police say the pair fired with “blatant disregard for public safety,” even though children were playing nearby.
Zhang later admitted to shooting McKinsey during an interview with investigators, and police recovered a second firearm he reportedly used. Both Zhang and Chen have been charged with murder and face a potential life sentence.
Background of a bitter family dispute
McKinsey’s death unfolded amid a contentious divorce and child‑custody battle with his estranged wife, Candice Jang. Court records show the couple had been married 14 years, lived apart, and Jang held sole legal and physical custody of their three children.
Both parties filed restraining orders in 2025 and 2026, accusing each other of domestic violence. McKinsey alleged Jang physically and emotionally abused him weekly and mistreated their children. He also claimed Jang forced him to eat a dead cockroach and once struck him with a frying pan.
In court filings, McKinsey, a transgender man, accused his mother‑in‑law, Chen, of directing anti‑LGBTQ slurs at him and his son. He further alleged Zhang struck him in the chest while he was recovering from double‑mastectomy surgery in 2010.
Legal proceedings continue
McKinsey faced separate misdemeanor charges in October for allegedly striking his six‑year‑old son and leaving his two‑year‑old child home alone while shopping. He denied the allegations, arguing Jang orchestrated the situation to frame him.
A judge later approved unsupervised public visits with the couple’s three children. Police also executed a search warrant at Jang’s home, though investigators have not disclosed what they were seeking.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Zhang or Chen have retained legal counsel. Fox News Digital reached out to McKinsey’s family for comment but has not received a response.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
