Pleading Cash App founder Bob Lee was filmed showing a bystander his gaping knife wound – but the driver drove away.
Technology chief Bob Lee, 43, walked along an empty street in San Francisco, US, in the early hours of Tuesday and lifted his shirt to show the driver his chest wounds having been stabbed twice – wounds which from which he would eventually die.
He was unconscious when police officers found him on the ground – and he was rushed to San Francisco General hospital, according to authorities.
However, while on the phone to 911, a bystander drove off despite Mr Lee having pleaded with the driver for help.
He pleaded: “Help. Someone stabbed me”, in footage seen by a newspaper.
Mr Lee is seen walking towards the Bay Bridge before falling to the ground again outside an apartment building at around 2.30am.
It was the last words of Lee before he collapsed, according to CCTV footage, as he left a trail of blood behind.
Mr Lee, a dad to two young daughters, had reportedly returned to San Francisco from Miami for a “quick visit” and stayed an extra day, according to friends.
The tech chief was known affectionally as “Crazy Bob” and had launched the Cash App, which has tens of millions of users in the US and the UK.
He was also the chief product officer of San Francisco-based cryptocurrency startup MobileCoin and an investor in SpaceX, Clubhouse and Figma.
Mr Lee had been a part of the Bay Area software development community for a long time and had recently moved to Miami.
San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott have refused to confirm if the mugging, the CCTV of which was seen by the the San Francisco Standard, was random.
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Chief Bill Scott said: “I have nothing to share yet. 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.”
Mr Lee’s death has caused an outcry with many concerned over the state of public safety in San Francisco.
Tech chief Elon Musk has spoken out against Mr Lee’s death as he asked what San Francisco district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, is doing to “incarcerate repeated violent offenders”.
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He wrote: “Very sorry to hear that. Many people I know have been severely assaulted.
“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 Brooke Jenkins?”
MMA fighter Jake Shields replied to Musk’s post saying Mr Lee was a “loyal friend” as he claimed he was “targeted” in a “random mugging and attack” in a “good” part of the city.
Rick Lee paid an emotional tribute to his son yesterday, he said: “I just lost my best friend. Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known.”
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His brother Tim Oliver Lee said he feels like he’s “lost part of myself” after Bob was stabbed to death.
He revealed: “I’m so saddened and disheartened to lose my brother. He really was the best of us. I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I’ve lost part of myself.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out and offered condolences.”
