The names of two victims killed during a robbery at U.S. Bank on Thursday have been released and a suspect apprehended, law enforcement officials said. 

Brian Switzer, 42, of Jessamine County, and Breanna Edwards, 35, of Madison County were killed in the deadly robbery.  Both were employees of US Bank branch on Chestnut Street. Mt. Hebron Baptist Church in Garrard County had a prayer vigil for Switzer’s family Thursday evening.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Justin Kearney confirmed both employees of the U.S. Bank and were shot by the still unnamed suspect during the robbery. Kearney said the FBI has taken over the investigation and confirmed a person of interest was apprehended.

“This was a team effort,” Kearney said on social media. “Appreciate the assistance from the Lexington Police Department, our federal partners, and the other agencies involved.”

The suspect was captured near Interstate 64, according to Kearney.

Authorities were searching for the suspect following a police chase late Thursday night in the Johnston Road area near Paris Pike and Bryan Station Road in Lexington. The manhunt included the areas of Stanford, Somerset, Rockcastle County and Lexington.  

Authorities used FLOCK cameras to identify a Silver BMW with Alabama license plates believed to be driven by the suspect. The vehicle has changed ownership more than once, but registration was not changed when it changed hands, which made it more difficult for authorities to locate the suspect.

Officers were called to the scene of the U.S. Bank at approximately 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon following a bank robbery on Chestnut Street. Madison County Coroner Jimmy Cornelison said two people, a man (Switzer) and a woman (Edwards), died in the shooting.

One victim was pronounced dead at the scene and the other died at Saint Joseph Berea Hospital, according to Cornelison.

The suspect, described as a 6-foot-3 male and wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and light-colored shoes, fled the scene on foot.

According to KSP Trooper Scottie Pennington, a “masked up” man walked into the bank, shot and killed the two bank employees. 

U.S. Bank said it was committed to supporting the victims' families and bank colleagues.

“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. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community.”


U.S. Bank on Chestnut Street in Berea was robbed on Thursday afternoon. (Keith Taylor/Kentucky Today)