Zach Hickerson is speaking out after he and his brother Brian were arrested Saturday following a bar fight in Greenville, South Carolina. Zach was released from jail and told TMZ that the fight stems from his frustration over online rumors about Hayden Panettiere, who died on August 16.
In the interview, Zach said that people have been spreading misinformation about Panettiere’s death, and that those rumors have led to real attacks against his family. He called the whole situation“super frustrating”and said the rumors are what set him off. Brian’s representative did not respond to Page Six’s request for comment, so his side of the story hasn’t been shared publicly yet.
The story is raising bigger questions about how quickly online gossip can turn into real-world consequences. A rumor posted far from South Carolina can lead to a confrontation in a bar, and that’s the part that makes this one more than just another celebrity headline. There’s still a lot we don’t know about what happened that night, but Zach’s comments are a reminder that misinformation doesn’t stay online for long.
What do you think? Should people be held more accountable for spreading rumors about someone’s death? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.