Former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after falling from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentinian police said on Wednesday. The 31-year-old fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel room balcony, police have informed.
In a statement, the capital police reported that they were called to a hotel in the capital’s leafy Palermo neighbourhood after receiving notice of an “aggressive man who might be under the influence of drugs and alcohol,” as reported by Reuters.
By the time the police reached the scene, they also called for an ambulance. The medics rushed to the scene and confirmed his death on the spot.
The police said the fall resulted in “extremely serious injuries.”
The authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting an autopsy, Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, told local news.
Payne’s body was reportedly removed around three hours after the fall.
911 call from hotel manager moments before Liam Payne’s death
In the 911 call obtained by AP, the hotel manager can be heard 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.
Liam Payne’s struggle with alcoholism
In July last year, Liam Payne shared about his struggle with alcoholism on his YouTube channel. He had shared that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment.
Fans create makeshift memorial
Dozens of One Direction fans flocked from across Buenos Aires to the Casa Sur Hotel after the news broke, forming lines that spilled into the cordoned-off street outside the hotel where police stood sentinel.
Young women filming with their cellphones expressed shock and heartbreak as a makeshift memorial with rows of candles and bouquets quickly grew outside the hotel.