Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend was at scene when she died, police report says

BREAKING NEWSAug. 18, 2026, 3:09 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsHayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend was at scene when she died, police report saysBrian Hickerson, the actor’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, did not become visibly emotional until EMS declared the 36-year-old dead Sunday, according to a police incident report.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Hayden Panettiere in 2022. Emma McIntyre / Getty Images for amfARShareAdd to GoogleBy Daniel Arkin and Maya RosenbergHayden Panettiere’s onetime boyfriend and his brother were at the South Carolina apartment complex where the “Heroes” actor went into cardiac arrest and died Sunday, according to a police incident report obtained by NBC News.In the heavily redacted report, the Greenville Police Department said Panettiere’s on-again, off-again partner, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the scene inside the apartment complex, Judson Mill Lofts.The responding officer, identified in the report as Matthew Bryan, said he first spoke with Zach Hickerson, who was “very emotional” while emergency medical services professionals were “working on Hayden.”The report goes on to say that Brian Hickerson did not become visibly emotional until EMS declared the 36-year-old actor dead.Brian Hickerson showed police a “bag of medication” that Panettiere was taking at the time of her death, the report added.Bryan, the responding officer, said he was wearing a body camera throughout the emergency response. The video recorded on that camera has not yet been publicly released.Brian and Zach Hickerson did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment on Monday and Tuesday.The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has said Panettiere’s cause of death is pending further investigation. In a statement, officials said an autopsy was completed Monday and “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”Authorities received a 911 call around 1:50 p.m. Sunday about a “reported car...