Two Guns, One Body – Who Pulled Fatal Shot?

Yellow police line tape at a blurred street scene — Photo: Matt Gush / Shutterstock

New court filings say a California grandmother blamed her husband for a park killing, even as police cite video and witnesses who say both fired.

Story Highlights

Defense bail filing says Shili Chen watched as her husband, Shouyong Zhang, fired the fatal shots.
Police say Zhang admitted he shot the victim and identified the gun he used.
Prosecutors cite surveillance video and three witnesses who say both in-laws shot “in concert”.
Case turns on shared responsibility versus who fired the fatal round, with charges for both.

Defense Filing Shifts Blame To Husband

Defense lawyers filed a 28-page bail motion that puts the shooting on Shouyong Zhang and claims Shili Chen did not fire. The filing says Chen sat in the car and watched Zhang shoot their son-in-law, Jonathan McKinsey, during a court-ordered custody visit in Dublin, California. The defense describes Chen as frail and says she drove Zhang to the meeting without knowing he planned a killing. The filing seeks to lower Chen’s bail based on that account and her health claims.

Attorney Curtis Briggs argues Chen had no idea Zhang intended violence and did not aid a plan. The filing says she was present due to the custody exchange, not to commit a crime. That narrative aims to separate Chen from the gunfire and from any coordinated plan. It also signals a trial strategy: concede Zhang’s role while contesting Chen’s participation, intent, and capacity. The motion asks the judge to weigh her limited conduct and grant release terms pending trial.

Prosecutors Cite Video, Witnesses, And An Admission

Police and prosecutors say the evidence shows a joint attack by both in-laws. Investigators point to surveillance video they say captured the pair shooting “in concert.” Three witnesses reportedly identified both as shooters. In a later interview, police say Zhang admitted shooting McKinsey, and identified a second gun recovered from the car as the weapon he used. That mix of video, eyewitness accounts, and an admission underpins the murder charges against both defendants.

Reports further state that prosecutors allege lying in wait and a planned ambush at the Dublin Sports Grounds. One account says Zhang shot first and that Chen then approached and fired at a victim who was down, which, if proven, strengthens a shared-responsibility theory. Police also reported recovering a gun in Chen’s possession after witnesses helped locate the couple. These details, if sustained in court, cut against the claim that Chen merely watched.

Two Guns, One Killing: What Forensics Must Answer

Police say two firearms were recovered, and that Zhang linked one of them to his own use. That creates a path for ballistics to test which shots came from which gun and which caused fatal wounds. The prosecution does not need to prove Chen fired the fatal round to pursue murder charges if they prove planning or aiding. But forensic matches, video timelines, and gunshot residue testing will carry heavy weight at any trial or bail hearing.

Defense lawyers will likely challenge the quality of the video, the reliability of witness views, and the scope of Zhang’s admission. They can request the full interview record, whether interpreters were used, and whether any details were unclear. They can also seek lab reports tying casings, bullets, and weapons to each shooter. Clear science could help assign shots. Gaps will be argued in favor of Chen’s claimed non-participation or reduced culpability.

Shared Liability Versus The Trigger Pull

California law can hold someone liable for murder if prosecutors prove the person knowingly helped or encouraged the killing, even if that person did not fire the fatal shot. Prosecutors have charged both defendants with first-degree murder and related enhancements, signaling a theory that the couple acted together. The defense counters with a narrower story about who fired and whether Chen knew of any plan. The court will decide bail now, and the facts at trial later.

For families who watch custody fights turn tense, this case is a warning. Supervised visits should be safe for children and parents. A shooting at a public sports park shatters that trust. The government must present solid, transparent evidence, not leaks and summaries. The defense has put an alternative account on the table. Now the system must test both sides with full footage, full lab work, and open records so the truth guides justice, not headlines.