Bob Lee, chief product officer of the crypto startup MobileCoin, was the victim of a fatal attack in San Francisco on Tuesday morning.
According to a report from the San Francisco Police Department, officers responding to the 300 block of Main Street found a 43-year-old man suffering from stab wounds at around 2:35 a.m., and the victim was transported to the local hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. The identity of the victim was later confirmed to be the tech executive.
Lee had suffered two stab wounds to the chest, the police said. He was able to call 911 for help before he collapsed on a Rincon Hill sidewalk, as seen on surveillance footage reviewed by the San Francisco Standard.
Homicide police are investigating the tragedy, no arrests have been made so far, and no suspects have been named. Details are scant, and the police have also yet to confirm whether the attack was random or targeted.
“I have nothing to share yet,” SFPD Chief Bill Scott said at a Police Commission meeting on Wednesday evening. “We don’t want to be premature and definitely we don’t want to speculate so we are going to be thoughtful about following the evidence and we’ll put out what we’ll put out as soon as we can.”
His death has brought on a flurry of grief and outrage. San Francisco has been struggling with a rise in violent crime. According to preliminary police data, there have been 12 homicides in San Francisco this year, a 20% jump from the same period last year.
Lee was a well-loved figure in the tech industry. He is survived by “a loving family and collection of close friends and collaborators,” MobileCoin founder Joshua Goldbard said on Wednesday.
Before joining MobileCoin, Lee was a developer at Google, where he helped develop Android. He then joined Square, now known as Block Inc, the mobile payment startup co-founded by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, to develop its Android app. He became the company’s first chief technology officer.
During his time at Square, he created Cash App, a mobile payment service that allows users to buy stocks and Bitcoin.
“It’s real. Getting calls. Heartbreaking. Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App. STL guy,” Dorsey wrote on the decentralized social media platform nostr.
Information for this briefing was found via the San Francisco Standard, CNN, Bloomberg, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
