London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, and other tech execs respond with shock to fatal stabbing of Cash App creator Bob Lee: 'Violent crime in SF is horrific'

Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, and other tech execs respond with shock to fatal stabbing of Cash App creator Bob Lee: 'Violent crime in SF is horrific'

Cash App creator Bob Lee was remembered by peers as a "quintessential creator" as Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey shared stunned reactions to his death.

Tech executives took to social media to pour heartfelt tributes and stunned reactions to the fatal stabbing of Cash App creator Bob Lee on Wednesday.

Lee, also the former CTO of Square, died after he was stabbed in San Francisco on Tuesday morning, according to an NBC Bay Area report. The police have yet to identify a subject or announce any arrests related to the incident.

Lee's father, Rick Lee, said on Facebook that his son had moved with him to Miami last year.

"Bob would give you the shirt off his back," Rick Lee wrote. "He would never look down on anyone and adhered to a strict no-judgment philosophy. Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known. He will be missed by all those that knew him."

Lee's brother, Tim Oliver Lee, wrote in a Facebook post that "I was so fortunate to grow up with him, and I feel like I've lost part of myself."

Rick Lee and Tim Oliver Lee did not respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Block CEO Jack Dorsey, who cofounded Twitter, called Lee's death "heartbreaking."

"It's real. Getting calls," Dorsey wrote on Nostr. "Bob was instrumental to Square and Cash App."

Lee joined Square, Jack Dorsey's fintech company, as its first CTO in 2010. At the company, the executive created Cash App, a mobile payment platform. In 2021, he became the chief product officer of MobileCoin, another fintech company that uses end-to-end encryption.

MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard told Insider that Lee was "a force of nature," and described Lee in a statement as the "quintessential creator, leader, and consummate hacker."

"He helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world," Goldbard said. "Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st century. I will miss him every day."

Tommy Sowers, the president of Fly Exclusive, shared photos of his time with Lee.

"Over the past 14 years, Bob brought me into his love of building tech, unlocked San Francisco a city he loved, and taught me I had another gear when I wanted to go home to bed at midnight (although Bob had multiple more gears)," Sowers said on LinkedIn. "We shared adventures roaming around the Yucatan and Italy and the simple loving of each other's families and our time together."

YCombinator CEO Garry Tan called Lee's death a "huge loss for the tech community and for San Francisco."

"We must remember his life and works," Tan said on Twitter. "We know so little about the circumstances and it's too early to speculate what happened yet. That area is filled with cameras so we will find out soon."



Renewed calls for safety in San Francisco
A view of the San Francisco skyline, showcasing the Golden Gate Bridge and the Salesforce Tower.


Lee's death has reignited concern among some tech leaders and others in the industry over the safety of San Francisco.

Brooke Jenkins, the San Francisco District Attorney, tweeted on Wednesday that there were no arrests yet, and offered a message of condolence to Lee's family. "We do not tolerate these horrific acts of violence in San Francisco," she tweeted.


The San Francisco police department must conclude its investigation before the DA's office can step in, Randy Quezada, communications director at the San Francisco District Attorney's office, told Insider.

"They need to talk to witnesses, gather evidence and then present it to us, and our office really steps in to evaluate the evidence and will then decide on charges," Quezada said.

"The investigation is very fresh," he said. "Until there's an arrest, we're standing by."

Elon Musk also commented on the tragedy on Twitter.

"Very sorry to hear that. 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," he added, without citing sources to back up the claim.

Former MMA fighter Jake Shields was one of the first people to comment on Lee's death on social media and has since continued to call for justice for the former executive.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×