LEXINGTON—Top brass from several federal law enforcement agencies, along with local and state law personnel gathered at the US Attorney's office, to laud the collaboration necessary to apprehend Brailen Weaver, 18, the suspect in a double homicide that occurred Thursday in Berea. The suspect is thought by officials to be from Covington. Weaver was apprehended within 24 hours of the crime.

"At about this exact time yesterday in Berea, an unspeakable act of violence occurred," Jason Parman, the first assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, told reporters gathered for the media advisory. "The ability to immediately identify and apprehend this individual was to the credit of everybody you see here today."

The shooting occurred just before 2 PM on Thursday at the US Bank branch on Chestnut Street in Berea. The victims were Breanna Edwards, 35, of Berea, who was a teller at the bank, and Brian Switzer, 42, of Jessamine County, who was a customer service representative there. Weaver fled the scene on foot, before leading multiple law enforcement agents on a high speed chase through much of Central Kentucky before crashing into a tree in northeastern Fayette County, near the Bourbon County line. A manhunt on foot ensued. Parman said Weaver was apprehended at about 3AM. He was found walking along Interstate-64 near mile marker 88, according to previous reports. The public announcement of his capture occurred about 6:45 AM on Friday.

Parman said Weaver will be charged federally for multiple counts of armed robbery, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and likely with causing the death of another individual tied to the armed robbery. Weaver is scheduled to appear in the US District Court in Fayette County at 2PM on Monday for the criminal complaint.

In response to a question from The Edge, Parnam also said additional court proceedings are likely to occur in Madison County. "I have had preliminary conversations with the Attorney General of Kentucky's office, and Mr. Coleman has indicated he intends to initiate a parallel proceeding on the death charges," Parnam said. "I do believe there is the potential of that if the state chooses to charge based on the homicides that occurred." If that were to happen, the proceedings would take place in Madison County Circuit Court, according to Parnam.

The line of officials included several representatives from the Kentucky field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Marshals, the US Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Kentucky State Police, Madison County Sheriff's Office, Richmond Police Department, and the Berea Police Department.

Parman credited all agencies during the briefing, and let the representatives from each step up to the microphone to announce their role in the apprehension. Parman said the FBI lead the investigation, assisted by the Madison County Sheriff's Office, which provided "valuable intelligence".

Parman described the scene of the crime. Weaver entered the bank disguised, wearing a mask and a hoodie that pulled over his head. He shot one individual, presumably Switzer, as Parnam described the second victim as the bank teller. Weaver then fled the scene, "and what transpired was a long series of events that culminated in the arrest of Brailen Weaver," Parman said. He added that in his 18 years of being in the US Attorney's office, he has never seen a death result from an armed robbery.

This is a developing story. The Edge will update readers as details come forward. For more on this story, visit our previous coverage.

This story was updated at 4:25 PM on Friday, May 1, 2026.