Former “One Direction” star Liam Payne, 31, has died after falling off a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to Pablo Policicchio, spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, Payne “had thrown himself from the balcony of his room” at the Casa Sur Hotel. Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, confirmed that the incident occurred in the hotel’s courtyard. He stated that first responders arrived and confirmed Payne’s death due to injuries sustained from the fall.
Police were called to the scene following a 911 call from the hotel manager reporting an aggressive man who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Argentine authorities are currently investigating his death and awaiting autopsy results.
Just an hour before his tragic fall, Payne had posted photos on Snapchat with his girlfriend. The singer was reportedly in Argentina to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan.
In 2021, Payne spoke openly about struggling with alcohol and substance abuse and how fame had affected his mental health. He revealed that he had spent 100 days in a rehab facility in Louisiana to address these issues.
Born in Wolverhampton, England in 1993, Liam Payne rose to fame after auditioning for “The X Factor” competition series in 2010. He became a member of One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. The group achieved immense success as one of the best-selling boy bands ever with over 50 million records sold and numerous sold-out shows worldwide.
After One Direction announced their hiatus in 2015, Payne pursued a solo career and released hit songs like “Strip That Down” (2017) and his album “LP1” (2019). He leaves behind a seven-year-old son from his previous relationship with musician Cheryl Cole as well as parents and two older sisters.
Please note: This article contains information sourced from The Associated Press.