Berea bank will evaluate reopening after deadly shooting ‘in the coming days’
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- U.S. Bank in Berea remains closed while officials evaluate reopening in the coming days.
- Two employees, Breanna Edwards and Brian Switzer, were fatally shot during the robbery.
- Brailen Weaver was arrested and faces federal charges and expected state murder charges.
The U.S. Bank that was subjected to a fatal robbery in Berea last week remains closed, but a spokesperson for the bank said officials will evaluate the next steps in the coming days.
The branch has bene closed since April 30, after an 18-year-old man entered the bank on Chestnut Street around 2p.m. and shot and killed two employees. Court documents say the suspect, later identified as Brailen Weaver, then checked multiple drawers and fled the bank.
Weaver was arrested around 3 a.m. May 1 after a high-speed pursuit that ended in Fayette County. Court documents say officials found a gun inside his car.
Breanna Edwards, 35, of Madison County, and Brian Switzer, 42, of Jessamine County, died in the shooting. They were both working when Weaver shot Switzer before shooting Edwards shortly afterward.
Evan A Lapiska, a senior vice president with U.S. Bank, said the bank’s main focus has been supporting the families impacted by the shooting. Officials will evaluate the next steps for the bank “in the coming days.”
In the last week, employees have had 24/7 access to employee assistance resources support, and a number of counselors have been made available in Berea to meet with people who need help. Lapiska said U.S. Bank CEO Gunjan Kedia, and head of branch and small business Sekou Kaalund, also visited Berea to offer support.
Counseling resources will continue to be made available in the weeks ahead, Lapiska said. Cheryl Leamon, a senior vice president of U.S. Bank, previously said they were sad to learn of what happened.
“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community,” Leamon said in a statement. “We are committed to supporting the victims’ families and our colleagues.”
Locals in Berea have also taken it upon themselves to help their fellow community members cope with the deaths of Edwards and Switzer. A meal train has been created for am employee who survived the incident uninjured and has raised nearly $3,000 since it was created.
Several people have also volunteered to provide food for the employee and his family, or provided gift cards.
Two GoFundMe page for the families of Edwards and Switzer have also raised approximately $100,000 as of Thursday morning. Edwards’ GoFundMe had raised more than $28,000, while Switzer’s GoFundMe had raised more than $71,000.
Funeral services for Switzer took place Tuesday while services for Edwards took place Wednesday, according to their obituaries.
Update on Weaver’s case
Weaver is charged with armed bank robbery, use or discharge of a firearm in a crime of violence and causing death with firearm in the course of a crime of violence, according to federal prosecutors.
He appeared for his initial hearing in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky Monday afternoon and waived his right to a detention hearing, meaning he will remain in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service while his case is ongoing.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 12. Additional evidence about the crime is expected to be revealed at the hearing, and a judge will decide whether there is probable cause for the charges.
Weaver is also expected to face charges related to the incident at the state level, as Attorney General Russell Coleman previously said he plans to pursue murder charges against Weaver too.
