New York Times exec shot dead alleged in-laws were abusive because he was trans
Jonathan McKinsey (LinkedIn)
A transgender New York Times games executive shot dead in California claimed his in-laws abused him because he was trans.
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a California car park, on Saturday afternoon, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, McKinsey’s parents-in-law, were arrested at the scene.
Witnesses told KGO-TV in San Francisco they heard a flurry of gunshots before seeing the victim on the ground. “I saw the guy drop to the floor: head bloody and chest bloody,” witness Assad Razawi said. His daughter added that her father saw the couple “walking together and then casually walk away from the shooting”.
Police have not disclosed a motive.
The New York Times confirmed McKinsey’s death. He was the newspaper’s director of engineering for games player experience. The Times’ Games division includes long-running puzzles such as The Crossword and newer hits including Wordle.
What police say happened
McKinsey’s body was found at 15:00 on 26 September outside the Dublin Sports Grounds,35 miles east of San Francisco.
The couple were arrested at the scene soon after by a passing officer, and were held at the Santa Rita jail. They were due to appear in court on Wednesday, where they were formally charged.
According to The Guardian, prosecutors said Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey, and a firearm was found in his car. The murder charges also include an additional allegation of lying in wait, which alleges the shooting was premeditated.
Court battle
McKinsey and his wife had been involved in a number of legal disputes over the past year, and had filed for divorce in December. They were still engaged in a child-custody battle when he was killed, and each had filed for domestic abuse restraining orders against the other.
According to the KGO, McKinsey had accused his in-laws of alleged abuse because of his trans identity. Court documents alleged Mckinsey’s father-in-law punched him in the chest after a double mastectomy, and his mother-in-law aimed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and his eldest child.
Last year, McKinsey pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanour charges of domestic abuse, as per ABC, after he was accused of slapping one child and leaving another child at home while he was shopping. He reportedly acknowledged he had slapped the child, but alleged his wife had left the house without telling him their youngest child was asleep upstairs.
He was released from jail and told to complete a number of parenting classes. McKinsey was out on bail at the time of his killing.
