Accused shooter's social media helped crack the case- what we know about the fatal KY bank robbery

After a night that stretched law enforcement across Central Kentucky, Brailen Weaver is behind bars- and expected to face a federal judge Monday.

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A deadly bank robbery that left two people dead in Berea last Thursday has triggered one of the most aggressive joint law enforcement responses in recent Kentucky history- and the man accused of pulling the trigger is expected to appear in federal court this afternoon.

Brailen Weaver is scheduled for his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Kentucky federal court in Lexington at 2 p.m. Monday. He is facing multiple federal charges- including armed bank robbery and using and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Because two people died, he also faces the possibility of a death sentence under federal law. The Kentucky Attorney General's Office has separately announced it will pursue state murder charges.

What happened inside the bank

According to a federal criminal complaint filed by an FBI Special Agent, the robbery unfolded with brutal speed.

Court documents allege a suspect walked through the front door of the US Bank in Berea right before 2 p.m. on Thursday. Bank surveillance shows a person wearing a cream-colored hoodie, black mask, black gloves, grey pants, and white sneakers. The moment he entered, he shot and killed a bank employee. He then shot and killed a bank teller. After both victims were down, he checked multiple drawers and walked out.

Two people were dead. The whole thing happened in minutes.

How investigators identified him

Investigators say the getaway vehicle- a silver BMW sedan with an Alabama license plate- was captured on surveillance footage near the Davis & Powell Funeral Home, close to the bank.

That plate led agents to a Facebook Marketplace listing. The BMW was for sale, posted by an account under the name Brailen Weaver. Investigators served an emergency disclosure to Facebook, which confirmed the account belonged to Weaver, born in June 2007.

From there, the case against him built quickly. Weaver's own social media accounts contained photos of him wearing what agents identified as the same shoes and pants visible in the bank's surveillance footage. He matched the suspect's physical build. And weeks before the robbery, investigators say he was captured on gas station surveillance driving that same silver BMW.

Still posting while two people lay dead

One of the most striking details in the federal complaint: around 8 p.m. on the evening of the shooting- hours after two people were killed inside that bank- investigators allege Weaver was still actively posting on social media.

A chase that endangered an entire region

Location data placed Weaver in Somerset that evening before showing him heading toward Interstate 75, according to court documents. FBI agents spotted the silver BMW on the interstate, and law enforcement moved in.

What followed was a dangerous pursuit through Central Kentucky. Weaver exceeded 100 miles per hour, successfully avoided spike strips on the interstate, then exited and raced toward downtown Lexington on Newtown Pike- where investigators say he pushed the vehicle to approximately 130 miles per hour before crashing. Then he ran. According to court documents, investigators found a gun in the car.

The charges he now faces

Federal prosecutors have charged Weaver with armed bank robbery, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and causing death with a firearm in the course of a crime of violence. Under federal law, that last charge carries the possibility of death or life in prison.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced his office will also pursue state murder charges.

"The Kentucky Attorney General's Office is working collaboratively with federal authorities, and we will pursue state murder charges following the shootings in Berea," Coleman said. "For the families of the two Kentuckians killed, we will do everything possible to deliver justice."

What US leaders are saying about it

The response from law enforcement leadership was swift and pointed.

"As alleged, this deplorable act of violence in broad daylight has left two families in Kentucky with unthinkable loss," said Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Thanks to the relentless pursuit of law enforcement, Brailen Weaver is off the street and behind bars, and he will now face justice for his alleged heinous actions."

FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would work around the clock. "In the days ahead, we will work 24/7 with our partners to conduct a full investigation and see to it that the individual responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman, whose office will prosecute the case, said the community deserves justice. "Two innocent people lost their lives due to greed and a complete disregard for the value of life. We will do everything within our power to vindicate this terrible loss."

FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson was direct in her assessment. "A coward with zero regard for human life allegedly murdered two bank employees and then led law enforcement on a dangerous pursuit throughout the eastern Kentucky region. We will stop at nothing to ensure this alleged murderer is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip J. Burnett Jr. acknowledged the gravity of what the region lost while expressing relief at how the night ended. "While I recognize that we've tragically lost two fellow Kentuckians and send our most heartfelt condolences to their families, I'm grateful this incident was brought to this conclusion — apprehension of the suspect with no further harm to our communities and law enforcement."

What we know about the victims

The identities of the two victims have not yet been officially released. But the families have identified them as Breanna Edwards and Brian Switzer.

According to a GoFundMe created to benefit Switzer's family, he leaves behind a wife and their three children. The fundraiser goes on to say, "Brian worked as the sole provider for his family, and Rachel stayed at home to care for their children. Rachel will have to navigate the grief of her three children as well as her own for the foreseeable future."

On Facebook, Edwards husband Sam wrote this, "Breanna loved having her camera in her hand. She radiated light and joy, and was thrilled at every opportunity she had to use her art to help people see the beauty she saw in them. My wife was delightfully obsessive with her dedication to her clients, almost always walking through the front door after a shift and immediately working on finding “sneak peaks” to provide immediately, and then staying up far too late to edit the rest. I am so proud of her, and I hope that everyone that was on the opposite end of her camera can see the love she put into every picture."

What comes next

The case is being investigated by the FBI, ATF, Kentucky State Police, and Lexington Police Department.

Monday's 2 p.m. initial appearance in Lexington federal court is just the beginning. Weaver will hear the formal charges, and given the severity of the allegations, federal prosecutors are expected to seek detention.

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