Former One Direction member Liam Payne has recently tragically passed away. At the young age of 31, the singer died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. On August 16, 2024, Payne’s death was confirmed on the spot at around 5:00 PM after the fall.

Bystanders who saw the event unfold called the police and stated that Liam “had jumped from the balcony of his third-story hotel room.” Moments before Payne’s death, the hotel manager called the police and was heard saying “There is a guest who is overwhelmed with alcohol and drugs. He’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please.” The manager on the call with the police was also heard stating the concern that the room had a balcony. 

Argentina’s police investigated Liam Payne’s hotel room. In his hotel room, they found Clonazepam, white powder, a smashed television, and alcohol. They also found a makeshift aluminum pipe that could be used to ingest the drugs. Authorities performed an autopsy on Payne and they found pink cocaine, benzodiazepine, and crack.  

Liam Payne had openly talked about his struggle with substance abuse. On multiple podcasts, he opened up about his challenges with alcoholism. On one podcast he would say he was sober for 6 months, and on another, he would be back at 1 month. This shows that recovery isn’t always a straight line. 

Fans of Liam Payne and One Direction are devastated by this tragedy. All fans are uniting together during their grieving and gathering at the Peter Pan statue adorned with flowers and balloons during a tribute event in Hyde Park on Oct. 20 in London, England. The was another in Washington Square Park, NYC, where fans gathered with candles, balloons, and flashlights. There are many more memorials held by fans of Payne.