DUBLIN, CAlif. — A married man and woman in their 70s have been charged with using two guns to shoot and kill their son-in-law, who was embroiled in a bitter custody battle with the suspects’ daughter, in what prosecutors call a pre-planned daytime ambush at a local playground.

Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, were charged Wednesday morning with murder and enhancements alleging intentional discharge of a firearm. They were also charged with lying in wait, an enhancement that carries life without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors allege the couple killed their grandchildren’s father, Jonathan McKinsey, 40, on Saturday afternoon at the Dublin Sports Grounds in the 6700 block of Dublin Boulevard.

Police say they conducted a “high risk” traffic stop in the parking lot, arresting both suspects just minutes after the killing. Chen, allegedly still in possession of one of the suspected murder weapons, refused to talk. Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey, according to police. A Dublin police detective wrote in court filings that several children were at a nearby playground when the shooting took place.

“Surveillance video was also recovered which captured the incident which depicted Zhang and the driver shoot the victim in concert,” Det. Shawn Pearson wrote in court filings. Police say a second gun was found during a search of the couple’s Honda Civic.

McKinsey, a New York Times games executive, was out of custody with pending charges alleging he struck one of three children he shared with Zhang and Chen’s daughter. In the bitter ongoing legal dispute, McKinsey and his wife accused one another of traumatizing and abusing each other and the children. McKinsey, who was transgender, alleged that Chen also directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and the child, and allegedly referring to McKinsey as “disgusting.”

Police have not yet revealed how Zhang, Chen, and McKinsey ended up at the park together that day. But just one month before his death, a judge ordered custody visitation for McKinsey to occur in “community locations,” including libraries and playgrounds. The court order reveals just how contentious the custody dispute had gotten.

“Exchanges shall occur at the public location, with the minor children walking from one parent to the other parent,” Judge Doris Ng ordered. “The parties shall stay away from one another and shall not communicate during exchanges.”

The two were supposed to be in court Friday for a status conference. Instead, Zhang and Chen were set to appear Wednesday morning for their arraignment hearing in a Dublin courthouse, and are being held at Santa Rita Jail without bail. It is unclear whether either of them have retained an attorney.

Police say they solved the homicide — the city’s first of the year — within minutes. They haven’t said what steps, if any, the couple took to attempt to get away with it.

The shooting occurred a little after 3 p.m. on Saturday and was witnessed by several people in the area, at least one of whom recorded video of its aftermath.

The prosecution of McKinsey was ongoing when he was killed. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed misdemeanor charges of corporal injury to a child and child endangerment, with plans to allow McKinsey to enter into a mental health diversion program. In court filings, McKinsey’s ex-wife alleged that his abuse extended far beyond the one alleged crime, and that McKinsey “is simply prone to domestic violence and child abuse.”

On Oct. 12, 2025, his ex wrote, “I hear Mr. McKinsey yelling,” followed by “one of the most terrifying things in my life.” It was the sound of their young son, screaming and panicked. The woman said she ran to help and found him “curled up, quivering, hiding in the hallway, and crying hysterically.”

In his filing, McKinsey accused his ex of being abusive during medical procedures related to his transition. In one instance, he alleged she tried to pull medical tubes from his body shortly after a procedure. McKinsey also alleged the woman’s father, who was not named in the filing, punched him in the chest while he was recovering from double mastectomy surgery.

McKinsey’s lawyer in the family law case, Andrea Yah, issued a statement saying she was “deeply saddened” by the death and is “frustrated” by “one-sided” coverage in the media “reported solely for sensational headlines.”

“This is a true tragedy, particularly for the three children now left without a father,” Yah said, later adding. “This was a complicated case and the public record and filings in the dissolution and temporary restraining order matters reflect that complexity. I trust that our justice system will hold those responsible for Mr. McKinsey’s senseless death accountable.”

Court documents say that because of the abuse allegations, McKinsey’s child custody visits were closely monitored. The most recently documented visit occurred about five weeks before McKinsey was killed. The children sat with McKinsey, ate granola bars and sipped juice, then he read them all a story as a court-appointed monitor watched and took notes. When one of the children fell and began to cry, McKinsey comforted the boy.

Later, there was a hiccup. The children revealed they’d been warned by their mom not to get too close to McKinsey’s mouth because of “cooties,” which McKinsey complained about in a declaration filed Aug. 21. He also said he was taking “steps” in light of the pending child endangerment case.

“I have purposefully avoided addressing the specific allegations in order to protect my right to a fair trial,” McKinsey wrote. “However, my actions since the inception of this matter, as detailed herein, clearly illustrate that I have taken every step possible to ensure that I do not pose a threat to our children, and that I can safely care for them.”

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