Liam Payne, a former member of One Direction, has tragically passed away after falling from the third floor of his hotel in Argentina, as reported by local police.
Authorities stated that they received a distress call regarding a “violent individual who may have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol.”
Alberto Crescenti, the head of Buenos Aires Emergency Medical Services, told ABC News that emergency responders were dispatched Wednesday evening to assist a man displaying erratic behavior possibly due to intoxication.
Upon arrival, responders discovered Payne’s body in the hotel’s inner courtyard and confirmed his death at the scene. The police mentioned that they heard a loud thud when they arrived. The deceased was later taken to a morgue.
Crescenti informed a local media outlet that Payne fell approximately 42 to 45 feet, suffering injuries that were described as “very serious” and “not survivable.” He noted that help reached the location at 5:11 p.m. local time, just seven minutes after the emergency call.
Liam Payne was only 31 years old at the time of his passing. He was part of the famous boy band alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik.
Payne first gained attention in 2008 when he auditioned for the ITV talent show The X Factor, but judge Simon Cowell encouraged him to return two years later. In 2010, after impressing the judges, he was teamed up with four other contestants during boot camp, which led to the creation of One Direction.
During their career, the group achieved significant success, releasing four number one albums and four number one singles before announcing a hiatus in 2015.
In 2017, Payne launched his solo career with the single “Strip That Down,” which debuted at number three on the Official UK Chart. He also enjoyed success with “For You,” a duet with Rita Ora featured in the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack, which made the top ten.
In 2016, he married Cheryl Cole, a member of Girls Aloud, and the couple welcomed their son, Bear, the following year. Unfortunately, they separated in 2018.