Tech is not Immune

11022333081?profile=RESIZE_400xWhen investigating any crime, finding the motive or the reason for an individual committing the crime, is essential to finding the suspect.  There are many reasons, or motives for criminal activity: greed, envy, need, mental illness or revenge are common motivations.  So, who killed Bob Lee in San Francisco?       

Tech entrepreneur Bob Lee left San Francisco in October amid concerns over public safety and then returned on business and found himself pleading for help in a 911 call after sustaining fatal injuries in a stabbing near the waterfront.  "Help!" he shouted, according to a local report. "Someone stabbed me."  Back in the 80’s, 89%of murder victims knew their murderer.  Currently it is 76% for female victims and 56% for males.[1]

The tech innovator's life was cut short around 2:30 a.m. earlier this week in Rincon Hill, a neighborhood on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, according to San Francisco Police.  Police have not publicly identified a suspect, although there is apparent surveillance video from moments after the attack.[2]

Local media reported on 5 April that it had reviewed surveillance video showing the Cash App founder stumbling down the sidewalk away from the Bay Bridge, holding his side before collapsing.  Then, in harrowing 911 audio revealed on the 6th, he begged the 911 operator for help before succumbing to his injuries.  So, who is “someone?” 

Cash App founder and tech executive Bob Lee, 43, was a father of two.  He had recently moved from San Francisco to Miami but suffered fatal stab wounds early on 4 April on a return to the California city.  In a statement, the San Francisco Police Chief said that the department would not be commenting on evidence in the case due to the active investigation.  "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. Lee," he said. "There is no place for this kind of violent crime against anyone in our city."

11022332887?profile=RESIZE_400xLee moved out of crime-ridden San Francisco and relocated to Miami amid safety concerns last fall before returning to the Left Coast on an ill-fated trip that ended in his stabbing death this week.  He tweeted an aerial photo of the Miami waterfront on 7 October praising the view, but also wrote about returning to California on business.  That was probably a bad idea.  Before leaving Silicon Valley, he publicly flagged concerns about rising hate crimes against Asian Americans in San Francisco and over the summer wrote, "I also want to prevent crime and live in a civilized society."  The tech innovator also described his new home in Miami as feeling like "Silicon Valley in the early 2000s."

A mixed martial arts fighter and friend of Lee's, slammed San Francisco's struggles with crime on Twitter after Lee was identified as the victim of a fatal stabbing.  "I just found out my good friend was killed last night while walking him in San Francisco," he wrote.  "He was in the ‘good’ part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack. F--- San Francisco."  Lee’s friend’s  tweets prompted a response from tech titan Elon Musk, who himself ditched Silicon Valley for Texas.  "Very sorry to hear that," Musk wrote. "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."

In the surveillance video, Lee is seen getting up and making it to the SF Portside building before he collapsed again.  Police rushed him to a hospital, where he died.  Investigators have not identified any suspects and have made no arrests.   

Lee seemed to thrive in Miami after the move, even urging another tech entrepreneur to move there from San Francisco just last month.  In January 2023, tweeting about preparations for a work meeting, Lee noted that "Miami feels like Silicon Valley in the early 2000s."

City crime statistics show that most major crimes have fallen thus far in 2023, compared to the same period last year.  But violent crimes as a whole have risen slightly, driven by an 18% increase in robberies and a 33% rise in homicides.  Felony assaults have remained flat as misdemeanor assaults have climbed by 13%, according to the statistics.

So, who done it?  Could be a multitude of people.  Once lesson in personal security is NOT to share travel plans and serious opinions on sensitive topics.  Many people feel safe hiding behind a computer or smart phone.  But you must remember that once you open your life to the Internet, many people are watching you. 

Red Sky Alliance is a Cyber Threat Analysis and Intelligence Service organization.  For questions, comments or assistance, please contact the office directly at 1-844-492-7225, or feedback@wapacklabs.com            

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[1] https://www.fbi.gov/

[2] https://www.foxnews.com/us/cash-app-founder-bob-lee-died-pleading-with-911-for-help-report

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