Thu Oct 17 04:21:39 UTC 2024: ## Liam Payne, Former One Direction Star, Found Dead in Argentina
**Buenos Aires, Argentina** – Shocked fans gathered outside the Casa Sur Hotel in Palermo Wednesday night after news broke that Liam Payne, former member of the boy band One Direction, was found dead. The 31-year-old singer is believed to have fallen from the third-floor balcony of the hotel.
Payne was in Argentina with his bandmate Niall Horan, who had performed at the Movistar Arena on October 2nd. Horan’s fans saw Payne dancing and singing with them at the concert. Police cordoned off the area around the hotel as fans gathered outside. Forensic teams arrived around 7:40 PM and started investigating the scene.
Mourning fans spoke about their grief and shock, sharing memories of the singer. “I’m heartbroken,” said 26-year-old Martina Belostugui. “I remember when I was younger, I had a lot of bullying at my school and his music helped. I’m devastated. I came as soon as I heard the news.”
“I met him when I was 12,” said 25-year-old Mariana Pinto. “He was with his family and I asked for a picture. He was so nice. I was very shy, he tried to talk to me, but I couldn’t say anything. I regret it.”
Berenice Desmond, 23, a longtime fan, said: “I’ve been a fan since I was very young. I’m so sad and shocked. He was part of my adolescence, my teenage years. I came here immediately when I heard the news. I’m in Argentina for ten years now as a One Direction fan club. I’ll stay here for hours outside this hotel.”
Juliette Raviru, 22, echoed the sentiment of disbelief. “I’m in shock. It’s so big that I can’t believe it. It’s strange that we’re here now, we feel awful.”
Around 8 PM, dozens more police officers arrived to control the crowd, which started lighting candles around the hotel. As Payne’s body was taken away in a red fire fighter van, the crowd began clapping. They continued clapping as the van left the street, accompanied by sirens. Some fans cried out in anger and clung to each other.
The hotel covered its windows with black panels, and eventually, the crowd dispersed.
Palermo is a popular area for tourists, filled with cafes, restaurants, and trendy shops.
A spokesperson for medical services confirmed Payne’s death on Wednesday. “We were alerted at 5:04 PM to an individual found in the interior courtyard of the hotel,” said Alberto Crescenti. “In a few minutes, [an] emergency team arrived and confirmed the death of this man, who we later learned was from a musical group. He had injuries incompatible with life from a fall. There was nothing that could be done.”
First Piper 