Suspect arrested in deadly Bellaire bank robbery
Suspect arrested in deadly Bellaire bank robbery
Scripps News – WLEX Lexington
The suspect in the fatal shooting of a female bank employee and a man during a bank robbery was indicted by the federal government on May 1 for an attack that occurred the day before in central Kentucky.
Kentucky State Trooper Justin Carney said the robbery involving a masked gunman occurred on the afternoon of April 30 at a U.S. Bank store in Bellaire. The city is located in Madison County, about a 45-minute drive south of Lexington.
“This is a really bad day for Berea,” Carney said at a news conference.
It was not immediately known if anyone else was being investigated in connection with the incident.
As of May 1, police had not released the identity of the victim. USA TODAY has reached out to officers for more information.
Bank robbery suspect “immediately shoots male victim to death”
According to a federal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 18-year-old Braylen Weaver entered the bank just before 2 p.m., immediately shot and killed the male victim, and a short time later shot and killed the bank teller. The suspects then searched several bank withdrawals before fleeing in a silver BMW sedan with Alabama plates.
Although charges by FBI agents continue, it was later determined that the BMW was being sold on Facebook by an individual with an account linked to Weaver. Investigators searched Weaver’s social media pages and found a photo of him wearing the same shoes and pants he wore in the video recorded during the bank robbery, the FBI said.
The suspect was arrested during a police pursuit that exceeded 100 miles per hour and ended in Lexington on the night of the robbery, according to a complaint reviewed by USA TODAY.
Weaver is charged with armed bank robbery, use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and deadly use of a firearm during a crime, according to court documents.
USA TODAY has reached out to Weaver’s attorney for comment.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call 859-623-2404.
Natalie Neisa Alland is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her at X @nataliealund
