Liam Payne, a member of the British pop band One Direction, died Wednesday at age 31 after he fell from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina, local authorities said.
His death was confirmed by Alberto Crescenti, the director of emergency services in Buenos Aires. The circumstances of the fall were unclear.
Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, said in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room.” Police rushed to the hotel in response to an emergency call just after 5 p.m. local time, he said, warning of an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
The hotel manager can be heard on a 911 call saying they had “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol … He’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please.” The manager’s voice became more anxious as the call went on, noting the room had a balcony.
“A few minutes later [an] emergency team arrived and confirmed the death of this man who we later learned was from a musical group. He had injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall. There was no way to do anything,” Crescenti said.
Crescenti said authorities were investigating the circumstances of Payne’s death and conducting an autopsy.
In a statement on Wednesday, the police said they had gone to the hotel after being notified of an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol”, the hotel manager said he heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel, and when police arrived they found that a man had fallen over the balcony in his room, the statement said.
In a statement, Payne’s family said: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny, and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Payne had been visiting Argentina along with his former bandmate Niall Horan, who performed at the city’s Movistar Arena on 2 October. Payne was seen dancing and singing along with Horan’s fans at the concert.
Hundreds of fans gathered outside the hotel on Wednesday evening, where police sectioned off the entrance with tape.
A quiet disbelief hung over the street. Supporters stood in shock, many of them in tears as they consoled one another. Others stared up at the hotel, of which all the curtains were closed.
“I’m feeling heartbroken. I remember when I was a kid I had a lot of bullying in my school and his songs helped. I’m devastated. I came as soon as I heard the news,” said 26-year-old fan Martina Belaustgui. “I saw him at Niall’s show a few weeks ago. He was singing and dancing and jumping.”
“I met him when I was 12. He was with his family and I asked for a picture. He was so nice. I was so shy, he tried to talk to me but I couldn’t say anything. I regret that,” said 25-year-old fan Mariana Pinto.
Musicians including Liam Gallagher paid tribute to Payne. “Life is precious kids and you only get to do it ONCE go easy,” the Oasis frontman tweeted.
Rebecca Ferguson, who was runner-up in the series of X Factor in which One Direction placed third and has been outspoken about within the music industry, recalled meeting him in a taxi from Euston station to the show.
“I can’t help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead,” she tweeted. “If he hadn’t jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today.
“I’ve spoken for years about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and the PTSD. Many of us are devastated and reflective today as it has finally taken its first victim.”
Born in Wolverhampton, England in 1993, Payne was just 16 years old when he became part of One Direction, a boyband formed by music executive Simon Cowell on British reality show The X Factor in 2010.
The band, which consisted of Payne, Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, didn’t win that season of The X Factor but went on to become one of the biggest boybands of all time.
They sold more than 70 million records worldwide, with hits including What Makes You Beautiful, Night Changes and Steal My Girl.
One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, and Payne signed as a solo act, releasing his debut single, Strip That Down featuring Quavo, the following year. Other hit songs aside from Strip That Down, which peaked at No. 10 on the US Billboard charts, included For You with Rita Ora and Get Low with Zedd.
Payne opened up about his mental health, revealing he’d been in therapy for two years. He said that at the height of One Direction’s fame, he began using alcohol and an epilepsy drug as a mood stabilizer to counter the “erratic highs and lows” he was experiencing. “I just needed a little bit of help to keep me stable … it was very touch and go at times,” he said.
Last year, he said in an interview that he’d completed more than three months of sobriety. “I’m sober now, over 100 days,” he told IFL TV. “I feel amazing, I feel good and the support from the fans has been good, so I’m super happy.”
Payne had a son in 2017, with his then-partner, the X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. The couple got separated in 2018 after two years of being together.
