‘Aggressive man’: Details emerge in Liam Payne’s fatal fall
Source: X/Nahueljuarezag
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne has died outside a hotel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, local newspaper La Nacion reports.
Buenos Aires police said Payne, 31, fell up to 14 metres from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires’ trendy Palermo neighbourhood, resulting in “extremely serious injuries”.
They said officers from a local police station went to the hotel on Wednesday afternoon (local time) after receiving an emergency call about an aggressive man who was possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Police did not identify that person as Payne.
They said medics confirmed the singer’s death on the spot.
“He had very serious injuries that caused his death, such as a fracture at the base of the skull,” state emergency medical system chief Alberto Crescenti said.
Crescenti told the Todo Noticias TV channel that Payne fell into a courtyard. He declined to answer further questions about the incident, including whether Payne had fallen by accident or jumped.
He said authorities continued to investigate the circumstances of the singer’s death and were conducting an autopsy.
Earlier on Wednesday (local time), Payne had appeared to post on Snapchat about his trip in Argentina, talking about riding horses, playing polo, and looking forward to returning home to see his dog.
“It’s a lovely day here in Argentina,” he said in the video.
Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to go to a concert by his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan.
He reportedly arrived with his girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy, on September 30. She apparently left Argentina last Monday, leaving Payne to check into the Casa Sur Hotel on his own.
Payne was one of the founding members of One Direction, one of the most successful boy bands of the past decade.
One Direction formed in 2010 when Payne, Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson auditioned for the British singing competition series The X Factor.
None made it through the competition as a solo act. But Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined the five singers into what would become a successful pop group.
The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits such as What Makes You Beautiful.
They had six top 10 hits on the Billboard charts by the time they disbanded in 2016. They also had a loyal fan base, many of whom were teen girls, who became known as Directioners.
Payne released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the singles Polaroid and Familiar.
I am heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. I can barely believe it. Sincere condolences to his family. 💔 https://t.co/A1Q3li6bXt
— E L James 💙 (@E_L_James) October 16, 2024
Payne had a seven-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl. She was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud.
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.
Condolences to the family of Liam Payne. 😞
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) October 17, 2024
Paris Hilton was among the first to pay tribute to Payne on social media. The socialite called the news “upsetting” in a post on X, and sent her “love and condolences” to his friends and family.
MTV’s Latin American branch posted X: “Our hearts are absolutely broken and we wish much light and strength for his family and loved ones.”
-with AAP
