Brian Hickerson shouts at cops about Hayden Panettiere’s death as he’s handcuffed in bar altercation
Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson was handcuffed by police and shouted about late actress’ death after an alleged altercation at a bar in Greenville, South Carolina.
A spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department tells Page Six that police responded to a alleged assault at Wild Wing Cafe Saturday at around 9:10 p.m.
According to police, officers located Brian and his brother, Zach, as well as other patrons involved in an alleged altercation.
Officers claimed Zach was “highly intoxicated” and started yelling profanities, and as a result, he was taken into custody for disorderly conduct and transported to the Greenville County Detention Center.
However, Brian was released from the scene and was not charged.
In video of Brian handcuffed and sitting on the ground posted on X, he yells, “GPD leaked it when my girlfriend died,” referencing Panettiere.
According to TMZ, who was first to report the news, Brian and Zach had been drinking for hours before Brian went up to the bar to chat with people and got into an argument with other patrons.
In video obtained by the outlet, Brian flings a chair backwards in a heated moment as multiple people yell at him to “stop.” Later in the video, another man forcefully picks him up from behind as someone screams at him to “let him go.”
Page Six has reached out to Brian’s lawyer for comment, but didn’t receive an immediate response.
Both Brian and Zach were present at the Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina, where Panettiere died.
Zach claimed to TMZ last month that Brian gave the actress Narcan after the real estate agent woke up from a nap and found her unconscious, while he called emergency services. He said they jointly performed CPR on her, though she was pronounced dead on Aug. 16.
Brian broke his silence on Panettiere’s death through a statement from his attorney last month, but has since stayed silent.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” his attorney, Sloan Ellis, told Page Six.
“As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play,” the statement continued. “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”
Last week, TMZ reported that Brian met with the Drug Enforcement Administration amid their investigation into Panettiere’s death.
The outlet reported that local and federal investigators believe someone sold the actress drugs that might have caused her death, and they are focused on finding the dealer.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Hickerson has been in trouble with the law. He was arrested multiple times for domestic violence against Panettiere, and in August 2025, he was arrested at a Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood, California.
In video obtained by TMZ, he spit at cops and was barefoot beneath a table.