A trans New York Times engineering executive was shot dead in broad daylight at a California sports complex, allegedly by his elderly in-laws, with witnesses saying the couple took turns shooting him before calmly walking away from the scene.Jonathan McKinsey, 40, director of engineering for New York Times Games and Player Experience, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California, shortly after 3pm Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Police arrested his in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, near the scene and booked them into Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of murder and other charges. Witnesses had alerted police after seeing the shooting, and the couple remained in the area when officers arrived. Police have not publicly established a motive.
File photo: Undated booking photo provided by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (AP Photo)
Transgender identity at centre of family dispute
McKinsey was transgender, and court filings show that his gender identity became part of the wider conflict with his wife and her family.In a petition seeking a domestic violence protection order, McKinsey alleged that his mother-in-law, Chen, had directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and one of their children, according to court records cited by The Mercury News and AP. He also made allegations against his wife involving medical procedures related to his transition.The court-document-based report reviewed also stated McKinsey transitioned from female to male in 2010. It also describes a bitter dispute between him and his in-laws over his being transgender.The allegations were part of a much broader legal battle between McKinsey and his wife, Candice Jang. They had three young children and were involved in divorce and custody proceedings when he was killed. Jang had sought a domestic violence protection order against McKinsey, while McKinsey later sought one against her and filed for divorce.
Custody fight turned increasingly bitter
Court records show that Jang had accused McKinsey of physically disciplining their children. He was charged with misdemeanor child abuse and was out on bail while seeking entry into a mental-health diversion programme, according to AP. He had been limited to supervised visits with his children and was seeking greater access to them.Jang’s court filings also alleged that McKinsey had threatened to kill her and her parents. In one filing, she described a children’s book about a mother dying as frightening because of those alleged threats. Those claims remain allegations contained in the family’s legal proceedings.The couple’s legal battle was still active when McKinsey was killed, with a court hearing scheduled shortly afterward. His death therefore came against the backdrop of an increasingly bitter dispute over their children, allegations of domestic and child abuse, and McKinsey’s claims of anti-LGBTQ+ hostility within the family.Police have not said that McKinsey’s transgender identity or the allegations surrounding it were the motive for the shooting. Zhang and Chen are due to appear in court Wednesday, where the charges against them are expected to be formally addressed.
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