Celebrity3 min(s) read
Brian Hickerson shouts seven-word accusation about Hayden Panettiere’s death while being handcuffed for bar brawl
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The late Hayden Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson made a sweeping accusation while being apprehended.
Hickerson was handcuffed following a reported altercation at a restaurant in South Carolina on Saturday (September 12).
As reported by both TMZ and Page Six, he was at Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville, where he was not arrested and later released.
According to the former publication, the 37-year-old and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were out drinking at the restaurant for hours before Brian reportedly got into an argument with someone at the bar.
They further alleged that Brian threw a bar stool backward, per an inside source.
The entertainment publication obtained a video of the incident, which appears to show him being carried out of the restaurant by someone, as a bartender could be heard yelling, "Let him go!"
Police had been called to the establishment following reports of an 'assault', as Hickerson made a claim about his late girlfriend's death.
What did Brian Hickerson shout?
A different video has circulated on social media, showing Hickerson handcuffed while sitting on a curb outside the restaurant.
He can also be heard accusing authorities of releasing information about Panettiere's death in August, as the actress passed away at age 36.
Police and medics responded to the Airbnb where the Heroes actor "had been temporarily staying" after getting a call about a woman undergoing cardiac arrest on August 16.
Hickerson shouted at surrounding officers: "GPD (Greenville Police Department) leaked it when my girlfriend died!"
As per reports, police alleged that Zach was "highly intoxicated" and started to yell profanities, leading to him being handcuffed due to disorderly conduct.
Both Brian and Zach Hickerson were at the Greenville Airbnb where Panettiere was found unresponsive.
Zach claimed that he went to the home after failing to get in touch with either Brian or Panettiere.
He woke Brian, and the pair realized that she was unconscious, as Zach called 911 while Brian gave her Narcan, as they performed CPR until emergency responders arrived.
Brian and Panettiere dated on and off over the course of eight years, and the relationship included several domestic violence incidents.
The former was even arrested on domestic violence charges numerous times, pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner in 2021.
Panettiere’s cause and manner of death are still under investigation, pending toxicology results.
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Panettiere's death remains a mystery
Zach described Panettiere to cops as his "brother's girlfriend," as rumors had circulated that the couple was back together despite breaking up following numerous claims of domestic violence and criminal pleas.
The device used to dispense Narcan, a medicine typically used to quickly reverse an opioid overdose, was found at the scene of Hayden Panettiere’s death.
Sources state that the equipment was found on a mattress inside the apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, where the actress died.
It is currently unknown if Panettiere received the dose of Narcan or if another person in distress at the apartment received it. According to 911 dispatch audio, the Nashville alum died after an "overdose".