MINNEAPOLIS — The brazen killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has captivated the nation this week, as authorities continue to search for the man who fatally shot the Maple Grove resident outside an investors’ meeting in Manhattan earlier this week.

As of Friday afternoon, police were testing DNA from a water bottle and examining a fake New Jersey ID and a cellphone that may be connected to the suspect, the New York Times reported.

Friday evening, investigators found a backpack in Central Park like the one that had been carried by the shooter, police said. According to the Times, it was unclear if the gun used in the shooting was found in the bag. Investigators believed the gun possibly was fitted with a suppressor, or might have been a veterinary gun used by farmers and ranchers to put down animals without making a loud sound.

The FBI also announced Friday night a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Here’s what else we know about the case, the company and Thompson himself:

No motive as manhunt continues

Authorities continue searching for the man who shot and killed Thompson in Manhattan. They have not released a name or motive.

The shooter approached Thompson from behind and fired several times before he fled into an alley nearby and then hopped on an e-bike and rode north to Central Park, police said.

The day after Thompson’s death, Maple Grove police reported bomb threats against two homes the family owns in the city.

Investigators on Thursday released photos that partly reveal the face of a person of interest in the case. Authorities found at least one bullet casing on the scene with the word “deny” on it, reviving criticism of a company and industry that became known for denying medical care claims.

Minnesota health care companies step up security

Minnetonka-based Medica temporarily closed its headquarters Friday amid a “general feeling of vulnerability and concern” as insurers faced mounting online vitriol in the wake of Thompson’s killing. UnitedHealth Group’s note of remorse about Thompson’s killing has attracted more than 83,000 laughing emoji reactions on Facebook.

A spokesperson said the company’s offices will be closed through Dec. 13, citing safety concerns that sprang up following Wednesday’s shooting. Other insurers have taken similar steps to reduce the visibility of top executives.

While Minneapolis-based UCare remains open, its front doors were locked Friday morning.

“Of course Brian Thompson’s murder — and the ensuing vitriol on social media — sent shockwaves throughout our industry,” UCare said in a statement. “We have no reason to believe there is any danger specifically to our team. At the same time, there is a general feeling of vulnerability and concern.”

Thompson’s killing has prompted companies, especially those in health care, across the country to step up security.

“It’s a wake-up call for a lot of companies,” said Glen Kucera, the New York-based president of Enhanced Protection Services, an arm of security company Allied Universal. “Unfortunately, it sometimes takes an event like this to impact change in the threat landscape.”

What we know about Brian Thompson

Thompson lived in Maple Grove. His wife, Paulette, works as a physical therapist with HealthPartners. They have two teenage sons, 19 and 16.

Thompson worked at UnitedHealthcare for 20 years and was named its CEO in 2021. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported this year that Thompson was among the state’s top-paid executives with a total compensation of $9.1 million.

Both Thompson and his wife graduated from the University of Iowa, where he got a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1997. He graduated with special honors.

While Thompson wasn’t well-known to his neighbors — one said he was “very quiet” and another said “no one really knew him” on the block — his killing shook co-workers and local business leaders. He was known as a champion for UnitedHealthcare’s support of the Special Olympics and an advocate for American Sign Language access across health care.

“Brian was a principled leader and a true champion in the healthcare community,” Roberta Antoine Dressen, CEO of local trade group Medical Alley, said in a statement.

UnitedHealthcare is one of Minnesota’s largest employers

UnitedHealthcare is the largest insurer in the U.S. It’s owned by Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group, which employs more than 400,000 people. It’s Minnesota’s 10th-largest employer — approximately 19,000 of its employees are stationed here.

The company has its roots in the development of the health maintenance organization model of health care pioneered by Dr. Paul Ellwood in the 1960s and ‘70s.

UnitedHealthcare has been criticized by media and elected officials because of the way the company reviews and denies requests and claims for medical care. The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announced in October that UnitedHealthcare and two other major Medicare insurers inflated profits by denying seniors stays in care facilities while they recovered from injuries and illnesses.

The company went from denying 10.9% of cases in 2020 to 22.7% in 2022, according to a report from the subcommittee. Minnesota lawmakers barred UnitedHealthcare and other HMOs from the state’s Medicaid program earlier this year.

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