Tech entrepreneur Bob Lee, founder of the mobile payment service Cash App, was stabbed in downtown San Francisco early Tuesday, he was ignored by bystanders as he begged for help, and details from cops are scarce.
Bystanders ignored cries for help from dying Cash App founder
Tech entrepreneur Bob Lee died from a tragic stabbing in downtown San Francisco shortly after 2:35 AM Tuesday morning, ignored by bystanders as he pleaded for help and lay dying.
Lee is the founder of the widely used mobile payment service Cash App, and friends and family called him brilliant, kind, and unlike other “tech bro” stereotypes in the industry, the Associated Press reported.
After being stabbed, Lee stumbled down the sidewalk, moving away from the Bay Bridge and Embarcadero waterfront, holding his side before he collapsed.
Surveillance video showed Lee walking toward a parked car that had its hazard lights flashing, trying to get help and lifting his shirt to show his two stab wounds. He fell to the ground as the car drove away, the New York Post reported.
Next, Lee staggered over to a nearby apartment building, where he collapsed at its front door, the Daily Mail reported.
Lee tried to flag another driver, who also sped away, then he called 911 for help. Audio from his harrowing 911 call revealed him begging the operator for help before he succumbed to his injuries.
Police arrived less than six minutes later and found Lee unconscious. Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene. Lee was transported to the hospital, where he died, according to police, Fox 10 reported.
Police have offered few details on the crime or suspects.
“So far, it seems like it is a random act of violence,” said President of the San Francisco Police Association Tracy McCray. “Unfortunately, no one helped him.”
Lee returned for business after moving to escape crime-ridden city
The irony is that Lee left San Francisco in October amid concerns over increased crime and public safety. He returned on a business trip only to become a victim of the violence he sought to escape, Yahoo! News reported.
Lee also served as chief technology officer for mobile payment service Square, was the chief product officer of cryptocurrency MobileCoin, and had been involved in the development of the Android operating system.
Elon Musk calls San Francisco crime “horrific,” slams soft-on-crime leaders
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of Twitter, spoke out against the crime and violence in San Francisco after the news of Lee’s stabbing, KRON 4 reported.
“Many people I know have been severely assaulted,” Musk tweeted. “Violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately.”
“Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders?” Musk asked rhetorically.
San Francisco has seen a 7.5 percent increase in violent crime over the past three years since 2020, according to The San Francisco Police Officers Association. Homicides were up by 17 percent in 2021 compared to a year earlier, and property crime increased by 20 percent.
