Liam Payne, known for his role as a member of the highly successful boy band One Direction, tragically passed away at the age of 31 on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, as confirmed by the authorities and emergency personnel.
At the time of the incident, it remained unclear whether the fall was accidental or whether Payne, who had publicly acknowledged struggles with alcohol abuse, might have been under the influence.
Following the news of his passing, distressed fans—many in their 20s and 30s—as well as spectators congregated near the location in the Argentine capital, where medical teams were actively responding to the situation.
The police statement said the call had been made to report “an aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Argentine press reported on what they said was the emergency call from a hotel manager reporting a guest “on drugs and destroying the room.”
The manager told the operator the guest “has a balcony, and we are afraid they might do something to put their life at risk.”
The Buenos Aires security ministry in a statement said that when officers arrived, the hotel manager reported “the death of a man who had jumped from the balcony of his room.”
The Clarin newspaper published photos of what it said was the interior of Payne’s room, with white powder seen on a table next to a piece of aluminum foil and a lighter, and a television with a broken screen.
A body was removed from the hotel around 20:30 local time by a firetruck, as fans cried and applauded solemnly.
Another life of a celebrity lost to drugs and alcohol abuse. Laws to ban drug usage need to be stronger than ever before, especially when we are seeing young people in Mauritius succumbing to this addiction too.