Hayden Panettiere's Ex Detained After Bar Altercation

Brian Hickerson, the ex-boyfriend of late actress Hayden Panettiere, was handcuffed and briefly detained by police following a bar altercation in Greenville, South Carolina, on Saturday night. The incident occurred less than a month after Panettiere was found dead in the same city. According to the Greenville Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Wild Wing Cafe at approximately 9:10 p.m. on September 12, 2026, in response to a reported assault. Upon arrival, they found Brian Hickerson, 37, and his brother, Zachary Hickerson, involved in an altercation with other patrons both inside and outside the restaurant. Video footage from the scene shows Brian Hickerson being carried out of the establishment by another man while a bartender shouts, "Let him go!" After being placed in handcuffs and seated on the pavement, Hickerson was heard shouting, "GPD leaked it when my girlfriend died," a reference to Panettiere. He was ultimately released at the scene without being charged. His brother, Zachary Hickerson, was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge. Police stated he was "highly intoxicated" and "yelling profanities in a public setting.