An 88-second video obtained by TMZ.com shows brothers Brian and Zach Hickerson in handcuffs outside Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville, South Carolina, following a weekend incident that resulted in one arrest and raised questions about police response to the altercation.
Greenville police responded to the establishment Saturday night after the Hickerson brothers became involved in an altercation with other patrons, according to law enforcement officials. The newly surfaced footage reveals tensions between the brothers and responding officers as the situation unfolded.
In the video, Zach Hickerson can be heard expressing frustration with officers, questioning why individuals who allegedly assaulted his brother Brian were not placed under arrest. "Take me to jail, I don't give a s***," Zach told officers, TMZ.com reported, before calling out to Brian that they were in the situation together.
Zach pointed out what he characterized as a disparity in the police response, noting it was "fascinating" that Brian remained in handcuffs while those who allegedly assaulted him were not restrained, according to TMZ.com. Officers subsequently escorted Zach away from the scene and placed him inside a patrol vehicle before transporting him to the Greenville County Detention Center.
A spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department stated that Zach, whom officers described as highly intoxicated, was arrested for disorderly conduct after allegedly yelling obscenities in public. He was later released from custody.
Brian Hickerson, meanwhile, appears in the footage seated on the ground with his hands restrained behind his back, engaged in what appears to be a calm conversation with multiple officers. Authorities ultimately removed his handcuffs and released him without filing charges.
The weekend incident comes as Brian Hickerson cooperates with the Drug Enforcement Administration in connection with the death investigation of Hayden Panettiere, who died from a suspected overdose in South Carolina. Brian and Zach Hickerson discovered Panettiere deceased inside a Greenville apartment on August 16, 2026.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has assumed leadership of the investigation into Panettiere's death. The Greenville County Medical Examiner continues to conduct toxicology testing to establish the cause and manner of death.
According to sources cited by TMZ.com, investigators believe Panettiere obtained oxycodone from a Los Angeles-based drug dealer and traveled to South Carolina with the black market pills. Authorities suspect she died after consuming one of the pills, which was laced with fentanyl.
The Saturday night detention of the Hickerson brothers represents the latest development in what has become a complex investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions and involving federal law enforcement agencies. The outcome of the toxicology tests and ongoing DEA probe will likely determine the next steps in the case.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
