One Direction Star Liam Payne Passes Away, Aged 31: Police Confirm

British singer Liam Payne, a former member of the boyband One Direction, has passed away at 31, police in Buenos Aires confirmed.

According to reports, Payne died on Wednesday (16 October) after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He reportedly fell to the hotel courtyard from a 13 or 14-metre height.

In a statement, Buenos Aires police confirmed his passing (via the Buenos Aires Times). “Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo.”

Local paramedics also confirmed his passing. The head of local emergency services, Alberto Crescenti, reported that Payne suffered “very serious injuries” and there was “no possibility” for emergency services to save his life.

The Buenos Aires Times reports that Payne had been in Argentina since 30 September and watched a show by his former One Direction bandmate, Niall Horan, on 2 October.

Payne found fame in 2010 after One Direction was formed on The X Factor in the UK. Band members Payne, Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson took over the globe for years. In 2015, the group announced a hiatus, and all five members went on to enjoy solo success.

In 2019, Payne released his debut solo album, LP1, and was gearing up to release his second album. His final single released in his lifetime, Teardrops, was released in March of this year.

Outside of music, Payne was also a father. In 2017, he and Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole had a son named Bear.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more news arrives.