(KTLA/NEXSTAR) — Former One Direction member Liam Payne has died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. The singer was 31.
While on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel, Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system confirmed Payne fell into a courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Reuters reported that Payne fell from the third story of a hotel in Buenos Aires, information first reported by local outlet La Nacion.
La Nacion said police were first called to the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday for a report of an “aggressive man” believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Pablo Policicchio, the spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, said in a statement to The Associated Press that Payne “had thrown himself from the balcony of his room.” Arriving police said they heard a thud and found Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard, Policicchio said.
Authorities said Payne did suffer “very serious injuries” in the fall and “there was no possibility of resuscitation.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crescenti declined to answer further questions about the incident, including whether Payne jumped from the balcony or fell by accident. He did confirm that authorities would investigate the circumstances of Payne’s death and conduct an autopsy.
Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan.
Horan, Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson came to fame in 2010 as part of the hitmaking One Direction, known for songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Story of My Life.”
FILE – One Direction members, from left, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Payne perform on NBC’s “Today” show, Nov. 13, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE – Liam Payne of One Direction performs during the Honda Civic Tour at Qualcomm Stadium on Thursday, July 9, 2015, in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File) Liam Payne arrives at the “All Of Those Voices” U.K. Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 16, 2023, in London, England. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images ) PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 01: Liam Payne is seen on March 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/GC Images)
The group disbanded in 2016, with members embarking on solo careers.
Payne’s solo hits included the platinum-selling “Strip That Down” with Quavo and the gold “Get Low” with Zedd. In March, he released a new song, “Teardrops,” which marked his first new release since 2021.
Payne shares a son, 7-year-old Bear Grey Payne, with former Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole. He had been dating influencer Kate Cassidy since 2022.
He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
