Police identified Berea bank robbery suspect through vehicle, social media posts
The name of the Berea bank robbery suspect has shown up in federal court records, which show investigators identified the suspect of the fatal Berea bank shooting through the vehicle he fled in and social media posts, according to court documents.
A federal affidavit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky Friday, which identified the suspect as Brailen Weaver, 18. Police previously said the suspect had been arrested Friday morning, but did not provide the suspect’s identity.
The incident happened around 2 p.m. at the U.S. Bank on Chestnut Street in Berea. The affidavit says Weaver shot and killed a man and shot and killed a teller shortly afterward.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Justin Kearney said the victims were Breanna Edwards, 35, of Madison County, and Brian Switzer, 42, of Jessamine County. Trooper Scottie Pennington said the victims were employees of the bank.
After shooting Switzer and Edwards, Weaver checked multiple drawers and fled the bank. The affidavit says he drove away in a silver BMW with an Alabama license plate.
Officials later learned that the car had been listed for sale on Facebook by Weaver, according to the affidavit. Officials also obtained surveillance footage from a gas station that showed Weaver in the BMW.
Officials also reviewed Weaver’s social media accounts and found photos of him wearing a pair of shoes and pants that matched the description of the shoes and pants worn by the suspect during the shooting, according to the affidavit.
The FBI found Weaver’s vehicle on Interstate 75 Thursday night and tried to chase it, but the affidavit says he drove faster than 100 mph and avoided a set of spike strips before exiting the interstate at exit 115 in Lexington. Kearney previously said the pursuit ended on Bryan Station Road and the suspect fled on foot.
Weaver was arrested around 3 a.m., according to Jason Parman, first assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
“The ability to immediately identify and apprehend this individual was to the credit of everybody you see here today,” Parman said at a Friday news conference. “It took the work of local law enforcement, state law enforcement and federal law enforcement.”
The affidavit says officials found a gun inside his car. He is accused of 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, all federal charges.
Attorney General Russell Coleman said he plans to pursue state murder charges.
“We are supporting the fine men and women of Kentucky law enforcement who worked through the night to apprehend this criminal,” Coleman said in a statement to the Herald-Leader. “For the families of the two Kentuckians killed, we will do everything possible to deliver justice.”
Cheryl Leamon, the senior vice president of U.S. Bank, said they were sad to learn of what happened at the bank.
“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.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 10:17 AM.
