Federal prosecutors say the suspect was captured after a chase that reached more than 100 mph.
BEREA, Ky. — An 18-year-old Kentucky man has been federally charged after two U.S. Bank employees were shot and killed Thursday afternoon during a robbery at a Berea branch, a case that triggered lockdowns, a high-speed chase and a multi-agency search.
Brailen Weaver faces federal counts of armed bank robbery, using a firearm in a crime of violence and causing death with a firearm during that crime, prosecutors said Friday. The killings shook Berea, a Madison County city about 36 miles south of Lexington, and sent local, state and federal officers across central Kentucky before Weaver was taken into custody early Friday. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman’s office also said it will pursue state murder charges.
The robbery was reported just before 2 p.m. Thursday at the U.S. Bank branch on Chestnut Street. Kentucky State Police identified the victims as Breanna Edwards, 35, of Madison County, and Brian Switzer, 42, of Jessamine County. Both worked at the branch. A federal complaint says Weaver entered the bank at about 1:57 p.m., immediately shot and killed a male employee, then shot and killed a teller. Investigators said he checked multiple drawers before leaving. Officials have not said whether any money was taken. At an earlier briefing, Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said the victims were part of the community. “They’re our people that work in our community, and they’re no longer with us,” Pennington said.
Investigators said surveillance video showed a masked person in a light-colored hoodie, black gloves, gray pants and white sneakers with light gray accents. The suspect was first described as a tall male, about 6 feet 3 inches, and state police released a photo as officers searched for him. Federal investigators later linked the suspect to a silver BMW sedan with an Alabama license plate. Court documents say officers also compared the clothing shown in the bank footage with photos from Weaver’s social media. The complaint says Weaver continued posting online after the robbery. Police tracked the BMW through several areas before a pursuit unfolded on Interstate 75 and into Lexington.
Authorities said the chase passed 100 mph on the interstate and reached about 130 mph on Newtown Pike after the driver exited toward Lexington. The BMW later crashed, and the driver ran from the car, according to the complaint. Officers searched on foot and used several agencies during the overnight effort. A firearm was found in the vehicle, according to local reports citing the affidavit. Kentucky State Police said Weaver was captured near Interstate 64 in Lexington around 3 a.m. Friday. No other injuries were reported by officials in the public updates, though police said customers were inside the bank when the shooting happened.
The search disrupted normal routines across Berea. Berea College went into lockdown for part of Thursday afternoon before it was lifted. Madison County Schools held buses in the Berea area, and Berea Independent School District delayed dismissal until officials said buses and car riders could move safely. Officers went door to door looking for information and surveillance video, while helicopters, drones and dogs were used in the search. Agencies involved included Kentucky State Police, Berea police, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The bank sits near Berea College, which traces its campus history to the 1850s.
Federal and local officials praised the speed of the arrest but said the case is still moving through its first legal steps. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman said Friday that investigators went from a violent crime to a federal charge within 24 hours. Olivia Olson, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office, said the danger to the public had eased, but the loss remains. “While there is no longer imminent danger, we understand that the tragedy is far from over for the community,” Olson said. She said investigators would work with partner agencies to hold the person responsible accountable.
U.S. Bank said it was working with law enforcement and supporting the victims’ families and employees. Cheryl Leamon, a senior vice president at the bank, said the company was saddened by the deaths. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community,” Leamon said. Community members also described the victims in personal terms. Craig Williams, a Vietnam War veteran and longtime Berea resident, said he entered the bank moments after the shooting, saw Switzer wounded and gave first aid until emergency workers arrived. “He didn’t make it and I wish I could have saved him,” Williams said. “But I did everything I could.”
Supporters remembered Switzer as a husband and father of three and Edwards as a kind presence in Berea. A local coffee shop described Edwards as loyal, thoughtful and encouraging. Friends and former co-workers shared tributes online as flowers and memorials appeared in the community. Officials said one victim was pronounced dead at the bank and the other died at Saint Joseph Berea Hospital. The deaths stood out in a crime category that has become less common. Federal data cited by investigators and news reports show bank robberies have dropped sharply since 2010, and recent national bank crime reports listed no deaths tied to bank robberies in 2022 or 2023.
Weaver is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Lexington at 2 p.m. Monday, May 4. The charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Author note: Last updated May 1, 2026.