Emergency medical services dispatched two ambulances to the South Carolina residence where actress Hayden Panettiere was found deceased on Saturday, August 16, 2026, according to law enforcement sources who spoke to TMZ.com.
The dual ambulance response indicates that emergency personnel believed multiple individuals at the scene may have required medical attention. Responders brought stretchers to the apartment unit, though both ambulances ultimately departed without transporting any patients, law enforcement sources told TMZ.com.
According to a source who spoke to TMZ.com, Panettiere's on-and-off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was residing in the apartment with his brother. Both Panettiere and Hickerson had traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday and were present at the residence.
Authorities have not confirmed whether Hickerson or another individual experienced medical distress that would have prompted the emergency caller to request two ambulances. The circumstances surrounding the dual dispatch remain under investigation.
Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene. A coroner's van subsequently transported her body from the residence. Dispatch audio reviewed by TMZ.com indicated that the actress was in cardiac arrest when emergency services arrived, with the caller suspecting an overdose as the potential cause.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Panettiere's death continues as authorities work to determine the exact cause and timeline of events at the South Carolina apartment.