New York Times executive fatally shot allegedly by elderly in-laws

What the report says

A New York Times executive was killed in California in a case that BBC World News says involved his wife’s elderly parents. Jonathan McKinsey, 40, the newspaper’s director of engineering for games player experience, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a car park near the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, about 35 miles west of San Francisco, on Thursday afternoon.

Police said the suspects are Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77 and McKinsey’s parents-in-law. They have been arrested and are facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder. BBC reported that the couple are also charged with felony conspiracy, wilful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and child endangerment. Their court appearance was expected on Wednesday, and it was not clear whether they had legal representation.

The New York Times confirmed McKinsey’s death. BBC cited witnesses who said shots were heard before McKinsey was seen on the ground, and that the couple were later arrested nearby by an officer passing through the area. Police have not publicly identified a motive.

The case has drawn attention because it involves a senior media executive and allegations of violence within an extended family. More broadly, it comes amid continued concern in the US over gun violence, though the circumstances of this shooting remain under investigation.