Newly surfaced video from a chaotic August 2025 arrest is putting fresh scrutiny on Brian Hickerson, the on-and-off boyfriend of Hayden Panettiere who was in the room when the actress died last month. TMZ published footage Thursday showing Hickerson being pulled from under a table at Barneys Beanery, a well-known West Hollywood dive bar, barefoot and unsteady on his feet, before officers walked him outside and placed him in handcuffs. As they lifted him up, Hickerson forcefully spits to his side, with the spray appearing to head toward one of the arresting officers.

According to the footage and accompanying reporting, the incident began after bar staff tried to eject Hickerson, who allegedly broke a drinking glass and threw a shoe at another patron before being discovered hiding under the table with his shoes off. Prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges from that encounter, citing insufficient evidence — though Hickerson was arrested again days later on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance. That second case was dismissed after he completed a diversion program that included ten Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

Why the old video matters now

The year-old clip is resurfacing because of Hickerson's far more consequential role in headlines this year. Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive on August 16 inside a Greenville, South Carolina, Airbnb where the pair were staying. His brother, Zach Hickerson, has said he discovered Panettiere unconscious and woke Brian, who then administered Narcan in an attempt to revive her while his brother called 911. Resuscitation efforts by Hickerson and first responders were unsuccessful, and Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators have said an autopsy found no signs of trauma and that police have not identified any indication of foul play. Her official cause and manner of death remain pending toxicology results, which the Greenville County Coroner's Office has said could take roughly two months to finalize.

Panettiere and Hickerson first began dating in 2018 and maintained an on-and-off relationship that included prior domestic violence arrests involving Hickerson. Amid mounting online speculation about her death, a representative for the actress pushed back last month, saying:

"There is much more to this story than what is currently being discussed publicly, and those closest to Hayden are actively cooperating with the ongoing investigation to help ensure that the truth comes to light."

For now, the newly released bar footage adds another data point to the public record on Hickerson without answering the central question authorities are still chasing: what, exactly, happened inside that Greenville apartment. With toxicology results still weeks away, the coroner's office has not set a firm date for a final ruling, and Panettiere's team has signaled more details are still to come.