By Isabel Debre and Kaitlyn Huamani | Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, local officials said. Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said. Pablo Policicchio, the spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, said in a statement to The Associated Press that Payne “had thrown himself from the balcony of his room.” He said police were dispatched to the hotel in response to an emergency call about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” Arriving police heard a thud and found Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard, Policicchio said. Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting an autopsy. He declined to answer further questions about the incident, including whether Payne jumped from the balcony or fell by accident. Liam Payne performs during Wild 94.9’s Jingle Ball 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) One Direction members Niall Horan at left, and Liam Payne, right, lead the group on stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, July 11, 2015. (Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area News Group) LiPo Ching /Bay Area News GroupFrom left, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson, of the British boy band One Direction, perform at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. (LiPo Ching /Bay Area News Group) Liam Payne performs during Free Radio Live held at Genting Arena on November 11, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images) Liam Payne performs during Wild 94.9’s Jingle Ball 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Liam Payne poses for pictures on the red carpet during Wild 94.9’s Jingle Ball 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Liam Payne of One Direction makes a surprise visit to Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush on August 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images for Westfield) SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 26: Liam Payne from One Direction takes a selfie with fans at the 28th Annual ARIA Awards 2014 at the Star on November 26, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – AUGUST 11: (L-R) Singers Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan of One Direction accept Choice Group award onstage during the Teen Choice Awards 2013 at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 11, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 19: Liam Payne performs onstage during the MTV VMA Kickoff Concert presented by DirecTV Now at Terminal 5 on August 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for MTV & DIRECTV NOW) LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 20: (L-R) Musicians Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan of One Direction perform onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for iHeartMedia) BERLIN, GERMANY – APRIL 12: Rita Ora and Liam Payne perform on stage during the Echo Award show at Messe Berlin on April 12, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 13: Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 13, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for The ATC) English singer Liam Payne attends the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Show Caption1 of 14Liam Payne performs during Wild 94.9’s Jingle Ball 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Expand Payne had been vocal about struggling with alcoholism, posting a video in July 2023 to his YouTube channel where he said he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls. One Direction fans flocked from across Buenos Aires to the Casa Sur Hotel after the news broke, forming lines that spilled into the street as police stood sentinel outside. Young women at the scene expressed shock and heartbreak. “I didn’t think he was going to die so young,” 21-year-old Isabella Milesi told The Associated Press. Video showed dozens gathered on the cordoned-off street outside the hotel, with many recording videos on their cellphones. Forensic investigators were seen exiting the hotel, where Payne’s body remained Wednesday evening. Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan. Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed in 2010 when they each auditioned for the British singing competition series “The X Factor.” After each singer failed to make it through the competition as solo acts, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson into what would become one of the most successful boy bands — even though they lost the competition. Related Articles News Obituaries | Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88 News Obituaries | Phil Donahue, whose daytime talk show launched an indelible TV genre, has died at 88 The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits like “What Makes You Beautiful.” They had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts by the time they disbanded in 2016. They had a loyal fan base, many of whom were teen girls, who became known as “Directioners.” “I’ve always loved One Direction since I was little. To see that he died and that there will never be another reunion of the boys is unbelievable, it kills me,” said 18-year-old Juana Relh, another fan outside Payne’s hotel. After the group’s dissolution, Payne — like each of his erstwhile bandmates — pursued a solo career, shifting toward EDM and hip-hop. His 2017 single “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo, reached the Billboard Top 10, and stayed on the charts for several months. He put out an album “LP1” in 2019, and his last release — a single called “Teardrops” — was released in March. Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. She was an “X Factor” judge during One Direction’s season. Payne was previously engaged to Maya Henry, from August 2020 to early 2022. Henry released a novel earlier this year that she said was based on their relationship. In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.