Police have arrested a self-described tech entrepreneur in connection with the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee in San Francisco.
Nima Momeni, 38 years old and from Emeryville, California, is the suspect. The police claim that Mr. Lee and Mr. Momeni knew each other.
According to Mr. Momeni’s LinkedIn profile, he is a technology consultant and entrepreneur.
On April 4, police discovered Mr. Lee, 43, incapacitated and stabbed near the city center of San Francisco.
He passed away in the infirmary due to his injuries.
William Scott, chief of the San Francisco Police Department, disclosed Mr. Momeni’s arrest at a news conference on Thursday.
Mr. Scott stated that Mr. Momeni was being held at the San Francisco County Jail on homicide charges.
He did not specify how Mr. Lee and the suspect were acquainted.
Mr. Momeni was charged with a misdemeanor for carrying a switchblade in 2011, according to his criminal record, but the case was dismissed after he accepted a plea bargain.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr. Momeni is the owner of Expand IT, Inc.
Sam Singer, a neighbor, told CBS News Bay Area that he had never had a negative interaction with Mr. Momeni other than hearing him play music too noisily.
He expressed “total shock” upon learning of Mr. Momeni’s arrest.
The prosecution desires to detain Mr. Momeni without bail. On Friday, an arraignment hearing has been scheduled.
Despite the arrest, Mr. Scott said the “case is not closed” in Mr. Lee’s death.
Mission Local, a regional news outlet, originally reported the arrest and identified the suspect as a tech worker.
Mission Local, citing police sources, reported that Mr. Lee and the suspect were in a vehicle and had an altercation before Mr. Lee was stabbed.
At approximately 02:35 local time (09:35 GMT) on April 4, police officers responded to allegations of the stabbing.
CCTV footage obtained by the San Francisco Standard shows Mr. Lee walking down a deserted alleyway, presumably seeking assistance.
The tech entrepreneur is seen stumbling towards a parked car and lifting his shirt to reveal a wound, but the car drives away before he collapses to the ground.
Mr. Lee was discovered unconscious in the Rincon Hill neighborhood with two stab wounds to his torso, and officers administered first aid before transporting him to the hospital.
He was the MobileCoin company’s principal product officer.
Mr. Lee is also credited with founding Cash App, a smartphone-based platform that enables money transfers between individuals. Forbes reports that the app is ubiquitous in the United States and is worth $40 billion.
His death elicited numerous tributes from prominent figures in the U.S. technology industry.
It also prompted criticism of San Francisco authorities’ response to the city’s violent crime.
During a news conference on Thursday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins addressed the criticism by stating that her office and the police had “worked tirelessly” to solve Mr. Lee’s and other cases.
She also characterized as “reckless and irresponsible” those who linked Mr. Lee’s assassination to the general security of San Francisco.
Ms. Jenkins specifically mentioned Elon Musk, who tweeted after Mr. Lee’s stabbing, “Violent crime in San Francisco is horrifying, and even when attackers are caught, they are frequently released.”
She said his tweets “assumed incorrect circumstances about Mr. Lee’s death and misled the world about San Francisco’s reputation.”
According to police statistics, San Francisco’s homicide rate is relatively stable. There were 56 homicides in each of the two preceding years. The city appears poised for a comparable homicide rate this year.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city has higher-than-average property crime rates, such as larceny and burglary, but lower-than-average violent crime rates when compared to other US cities.
Monday, Whole Foods temporarily closed its flagship San Francisco location, citing worker safety concerns.
Walgreens and Target, among others, have closed city stores or shortened hours owing to safety concerns.
