...By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Tech executive Bob Lee was stabbed in San Francisco and later died in the hospital. In his final hours, Lee walked up an empty San Francisco street, gripping his side with one hand and his cellphone in the other, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
He called 911 and repeatedly screamed for help, saying he needed to go to the hospital.
Lee collapsed on a Rincon Hill sidewalk, saying, “Someone stabbed me.” He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital but later died. Lee suffered two stab wounds to the chest. The police have not released much information about the stabbing, including whether they believe the attack was random or targeted.
Surveillance footage reviewed by The Standard showed that Lee, who had already been stabbed, walked up Main Street away from the Bay Bridge at around 2:30 a.m.
He crossed the intersection at Harrison Street and walked up to a parked white Camry with its hazard lights flashing. Lee then lifted his shirt, as if to show the driver his wound and ask for help, and fell to the ground after the car drove away.
He got up and walked back toward the Bay Bridge before falling to the ground again outside an apartment building called the Portside.
Lee’s death has triggered a flurry of outrage from the tech industry over the state of public safety in San Francisco. Police have not announced any arrests or suspects.
In his first public comments addressing the killing, SFPD Chief Bill Scott declined to say whether the stabbing was random.
The stabbing stunned those who say the neighborhood, which is also called the East Cut, isn’t dangerous. Andrew Robinson, who heads the East Cut Community Benefit District, said, “Both the reality and the feel of the neighborhood is the East Cut is very safe. So the shock and the unease for people is pretty significant.”
Lee, who was a father and a longtime member of the Bay Area software development community, had recently moved to Miami. He became Square’s first CTO and was the developer of its Cash App (formerly called Square Cash) in 2011.
In 2021, Lee became the chief product officer of MobileCoin, a crypto payment company based in San Francisco. Lee’s father, Rick Lee, eulogized his son on Facebook, saying, “I just lost my best friend” and “Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known.”
Commentary
The stabbing of Bob Lee has shocked the tech industry and the community at large, sparking outrage and concern over the state of public safety in San Francisco.
The police have not released much information about the case, leaving many questions unanswered, including whether the attack was random or targeted.
The surveillance footage reviewed by The Standard sheds some light on Lee’s final hours but also raises more questions. The fact that Lee walked up to a parked car with its hazard lights flashing and lifted his shirt, as if to show his wound, suggests that he was seeking help.
However, the car drove away, leaving him on the ground. The incident raises questions about the responsibility of the driver and the importance of being aware of one’s surroundings and helping those in need.
The tech industry has lost a talented and respected member, and the community has lost a father and a friend. The police must work tirelessly to find the perpetrator and bring justice to Lee and his loved ones.
Read More On The Topic On TDPel Media
