SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins accused Twitter owner Elon Musk of making “reckless and irresponsible” statements about the killing of tech mogul Bob Lee following the arrest of another tech exec in connection with the crime.
“Reckless and irresponsible statements like those tweeted by Mr. Musk assumed incorrect circumstances about Mr. Lee’s death,” Jenkins said at a news conference about the arrest on Thursday, “served to mislead the world in their perceptions of San Francisco and also negatively impact the pursuit of justice.”
On Thursday, San Francisco PD confirmed the arrest of tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni and charged him with the murder of Lee.
Following the initial incident, Musk was one of several high-profile media figures to leverage Lee’s killing as an opportunity to criticize San Francisco and question public safety in the city.
“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,” Musk tweeted following Lee’s stabbing. “Is the city taking stronger action to incarcerate repeat violent offenders?”
Apart from Musk, other public figures who touted Lee’s killing as evidence that San Francisco’s streets were not safe included venture capitalist Matt Ocko, and wrestler Jake Shields.
“Chesa Boudin, & the criminal-loving city council that enabled him & a lawless SF for years, have Bob’s literal blood on their hands,” Ocko tweeted. “Take action.”
“I just found out my good friend was killed last night while walking him in San Francisco,” tweeted Shields. “He was in a ‘good’ part of the city and appeared to have been targeted in a random mugging/attack.”
“F*** San Francisco,” the wrestler’s tweet concluded.
“I’m thankful Bob’s murderer has been arrested,” Shields tweeted on Thursday. “I’m surprised it was someone who knew him because I’ve [never] even seen Bob in a disagreement.”
Earlier on Thursday, a San Francisco supervisor demanded public apologies following the arrest of a fellow tech executive in Cash App founder Bob Lee’s killing. San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston tweeted that “apologies are in order” following Thursday’s arrest of tech exec Nima Momeni in connection to Lee’s fatal stabbing.
“The people who tried to exploit this tragedy to stoke hatred of the poor should be ashamed,” Preston tweeted. “Some public apologies are in order.”
Some national media outlets also seized on Lee’s death, which occurred the same week a former city fire commissioner was allegedly attacked and beaten, as evidence that violent street crime in SF was spiraling out of control. In fact, while certain crimes, like property crimes are rising in San Francisco, many violent crimes, including homicide, are significantly lower than in other major cities.
Bob Lee was found stabbed shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 4 in SF’s affluent Rincon Hill neighborhood. Officers rendered aid and summoned medics but Lee died at a nearby hospital.
At a news conference on Thursday, San Francisco police confirmed that he knew his alleged killer. Initial reports indicated the two had been traveling in a car together prior to the incident.
Surveillance video of Lee after he’d been stabbed shows him staggering in the street outside an luxury condominium and trying to hail a passing car for help. In the footage, the car can be seen driving away.
