An 18-year-old Kentucky man, Brailen Weaver, was charged Friday by federal prosecutors with armed bank robbery and firearms offenses that caused death after authorities say he fatally shot two people inside a Berea U.S. Bank branch a day earlier, then led police on a high-speed chase on Interstate 75 before crashing and fleeing on foot.
The FBI affidavit, filed Friday in federal court, says Weaver entered the branch around 2 p.m. Thursday, April 30, and “immediately shot and killed a male victim” before turning the gun on a teller. He then checked multiple drawers and fled; investigators have not said whether any money was taken.
Authorities identified a silver BMW sedan on surveillance footage and matched it to a car Weaver had listed for sale on Facebook, the affidavit states. Clothing worn by the suspect matched photos from Weaver’s social media accounts, and he continued posting online after the robbery.
The FBI located the vehicle on I-75, and Weaver was pursued at speeds above 100 mph. He exited into Lexington and reached 130 mph before crashing the car and fleeing on foot. A Kentucky State Police trooper said on social media Friday that a person of interest in the robbery had been apprehended.
At a news conference Friday, Olivia Olson, special agent in charge of the Louisville FBI office, said the community was no longer in imminent danger but acknowledged the lasting impact. “The only solace that we can offer is that this individual, who valued a stolen dollar more than two human lives, will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Olson said.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced Friday that he would pursue state murder charges against Weaver. Court records identify the defendant as 18 years old; a Lexington attorney listed as his representation did not respond to a phone message seeking comment.
Jason Parman, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the eastern half of Kentucky, said he could not recall a death during a bank robbery in his 18-year career. “It’s not uncommon for a bank robber to be armed and to threaten violence, but deaths are uncommon in my experience,” Parman said.
Bank robberies nationwide have plummeted 77% since 2010, from 5,546 to 1,263 in 2023, according to FBI statistics. The data show no deaths during bank robberies in 2022 and 2023, the most recent years available.
Tom Myers, a crime historian and retired FBI agent, attributed the decline to experienced criminals shifting to easier targets that carry only state charges. “The juice ain’t worth the squeeze,” Myers said. “There’s so many other things to do that are profitable.”
Law enforcement conducted a door-to-door search in Berea using helicopters, drones, and dogs. The FBI, ATF, Lexington police, and multiple sheriff’s offices participated. Area schools went into lockdown until security was assured; students were released only to their parents.
U.S. Bank said it was “deeply saddened by the tragic event that took the lives of two of our employees at our Berea, Kentucky branch” and pledged to support the victims’ families and colleagues.
The small brick branch sits about a mile from the campus of Berea College, a liberal arts institution founded in 1855. The city, about 36 miles south of Lexington, is known for its crafts and annual festival.