Liam Payne. former One Direction member, dead at 31

(WISH) — Liam Payne, a former member of boyband One Direction, has died. He was 31.

According to a CNN report , he died after falling from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires into the hotel courtyard.

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.

Payne sustained serious injuries in the landing, and was pronounced dead by medics at the scene.

He was one of five members of the award-winning London pop band One Direction, which formed in 2010. They catapulted to global popularity following their performance on British competition show “The X Factor” and with the help of social media.

One Direction topped several charts in multiple countries with singles like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” and “Best Song Ever.”

They were named one of the best-selling boy bands of all time before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Since the band’s pause, Payne signed a record deal with Republic Records in North America. From May 2017 to December 2019, he sold over 18 million singles, with one song “Strip That Down” peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart and at number 10 on the US “Billboard” Hot 100.

Payne had a son, born in 2017, who he shared with former Girls Aloud singing group member Cheryl Cole.

Per AP, Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan.

CNN’s Dan Heching and Manuela Castro and The Associated Press’ Isabel Debre and Kaitlin Huamani contributed to this report.