An 18-year-old Kentucky man who led police on a high-speed chase Thursday night now faces federal charges in connection with a bank robbery that left two people dead.
Brailen Weaver faces charges of armed bank robbery and firearms offenses resulting in death, according to federal court records.
According to an FBI affidavit filed Friday, Weaver entered a U.S. Bank branch in Berea just before 2 p.m. Thursday and “immediately shot and killed a male victim” before fatally shooting a teller. He then searched multiple drawers inside the bank and fled the scene. Investigators have not confirmed whether any money was taken.
“While there is no longer imminent danger, we understand that the tragedy is far from over for the community,” Olivia Olson, special agent in charge of the Louisville FBI office, said at a news conference Friday. “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.”
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced Friday that he will pursue state murder charges against Weaver. Court records list Weaver as 18, and officials said he lived somewhere in Kentucky.
Investigators identified a silver BMW sedan in surveillance footage and linked it to a car Weaver had listed for sale on Facebook, according to the affidavit. They also matched the suspect’s clothing to photos of Weaver on social media. Authorities noted that Weaver continued posting online after the robbery.
The FBI located Weaver’s vehicle on Interstate 75, where officers pursued him at speeds exceeding 100 mph Thursday night. He exited into Lexington, accelerated beyond 130 mph, then crashed and ran from the scene on foot, the affidavit states.
Kentucky State Police Officer Justin Kearney said in a social media post Friday that a “person of interest believed to be involved in yesterday’s Berea bank robbery has been apprehended.”
The affidavit was completed before his capture and does not mention an arrest.
Rawl Kazee, a Lexington attorney listed in court records as representing Weaver, did not immediately return a phone message Friday morning.
Jason Parman, first assistant U.S. attorney for eastern Kentucky, said that in his 18 years as a prosecutor, he does not recall a bank robbery resulting in death. He added that while robbers often carry weapons and threaten violence, fatalities remain rare in such cases.
Bank robberies across the U.S. have dropped significantly, falling from 5,546 in 2010 to 1,263 in 2023 — a 77% decrease — according to the FBI’s annual Bank Crime Statistics report. The data also shows no deaths linked to bank robberies in 2022 and 2023, the most recent years available.
Tom Myers, a crime historian and retired FBI agent, said experienced criminals are shifting toward easier crimes that don’t carry the risk of long federal prison sentences, contributing to the decline. He added that advances in bank security technology, including small but powerful tracking devices, have made it easier for authorities to recover stolen money after a robbery.
“The juice ain’t worth the squeeze,” Myers said. “There’s so many other things to do that are profitable — you can go to a big box store and walk out with the same amount in some places, and only face state charges if you’re caught.”
Law enforcement officers went door to door searching for information and surveillance footage, while also deploying helicopters, drones, and police dogs. The Lexington Police Department, county sheriff’s offices, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all participated in the search.
Schools in the area were briefly placed on lockdown Thursday until officials confirmed campuses were safe. Authorities said students were not allowed to leave on buses and instead had to be picked up by their parents.
U.S. Bank said it is working closely with law enforcement and remains committed to supporting the victims’ families and its employees. The branch involved, located in the quiet community of Berea, sits about a mile from Berea College and its historic campus dating back to the 1850s.
“We’re deeply saddened by the tragic event that took the lives of two of our employees at our Berea, Kentucky branch earlier today,” the company said in a statement Thursday. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community.”
Berea is located about 36 miles (58 kilometers) south of Lexington.
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