One Direction fans' unexpected reaction as Liam Payne's body removed from hotel

Authorities were able to identify Liam Payne after finding his passport inside his hotel room.

“Until we had the passport with his reliable data, we did not want to give any information,” ambulance chief Alberto Crescenti said, local network La Nacion reported.

The publication shared several photos from allegedly inside Payne's hotel room with one showing a smashed TV.

Once his death was confirmed, fans rushed to the site to pay tribute to the star.

Despite Liam Payne sharing recent content with his girlfriend on Snapchat just before he died, Kate Cassidy was not there at the time of the star's death. It’s understood that Payne's Snapchat videos were pre-recorded and posted on the day of his death.

Two days ago, Cassidy posted a TikTok sharing with followers she had headed back home to Florida, with Payne remaining in Argentina — the influencer didn't disclose why the two had parted ways.

In Cassidy's TikTok, she detailed she was only meant to be in Argentina for five days and instead stayed for two weeks.

"I was so ready to leave, honestly, love South America but I hate staying in one place too long," she said. "We were supposed to be there for five days and it turned into two weeks and I was just like, I need to go home."

The band separated in 2015 after five very successful years together. But what led to One Direction breaking the hearts of millions of fans around the world?

Band member Zayn Malik split from the group in the middle of their 2015 World Tour and initially said it was due to "stress". The remaining four soon went on "a hiatus" that never ended.

But last year Malik opened up on his decision that led to the band splitting. "I knew something was happening, so I just got ahead of the curve," he told the Call Her Daddy Podcast.

"I was like, 'I'm just going to get out of here, I think this is done'."

There had been rumours of tensions within the band and Liam Payne famously said he was once put up against a wall by an unnamed band member.

Speaking on the 10th anniversary of the band's formation in 2020, Payne suggested relations were far better between the group and hinted at a possible reunion. "I think that we're all feeling that that 10 years is a very special moment," he told James Corden.

Dermot O'Leary, the host of X-Factor for eight years, has spoken out about Liam Payne's death, paying tribute to the late singer.

"The worst news. I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra," he wrote online. "He just loved to sing. He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble.

"Sending love and prayers to his family."

One Direction were formed on X-Factor in 2010 when Payne was 16. O'Leary is referring to Payne's first audition two years earlier when Simon Cowell told him to return when he was older.

While none of Liam Payne's One Direction band members have addressed his death yet, Harry Styles' mother Anne Twist has posted on Instagram.

Sharing a broken heart emoji as a post, she wrote: "Just a boy."

Payne died at the age of 31.

Here's some more photos from outside the hotel where Liam Payne was found dead. Fans have descended on the Buenos Aires street and are lighting candles in tribute. Many appear shocked and dejected by the news.

For a number of years, they were arguably the biggest band on the planet. But what made One Direction so special?

Vocal coach Savan Kotecha who worked on X-Factor with the band said he and Simon Cowell had discussed early on how they reminded them of The Beatles.

“They instinctively had this — and it might just be a generational thing — they just knew how to speak to their fans,” Kotecha told Rolling Stone in 2020, four years after they split.

“And they did that by being themselves. That was a unique thing about these boys: When the cameras turned on, they didn’t change who they were.”

Liam Payne had previously spoken openly in the past about his struggles with mental health and alcohol addiction, telling The Diary of a CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett in 2021 that his struggles were "really, really severe".

"The day the band ended, I was like, 'Thank the Lord,'" he said. "I know a lot of people are going to be mad at me for saying that, but I needed to stop or it would kill me," he said.

In 2023, the star said he was six months sober after spending 100 days in a rehab facility in Louisiana.

"I just kind of feel like I've got more of a grip on life and everything that was getting away from me, I just feel like I've got more of a handle on it," Liam said. "I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself, because I kind of became somebody who I didn't really recognise anymore. I was in bad shape up until that point and I was really happy to kind of put a stopper to life and work."

Police said they had received a call on Wednesday from Payne's hotel asking for assistance with an "aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol".

Liam Payne posted a series of Snapchat videos just hours before his death in Argentina on Wednesday (local time).

He was with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy and said they were planning on going horse riding after Cassidy revealed they'd slept in.

“Good morning everybody. Here’s a little video of me,” Payne said in one clip. “It’s a lovely day here in Argentina.”

Payne was in South America attending his former band member Niall Horan’s concert on October 2 and had previously said he was there to “square up a couple of things” with the Irish singer.

Watch all of Payne's videos before his death below.

More details are being shared about what occurred in the moments prior to Liam Payne's death after he fell from a hotel balcony.

Police had received a call from a worker at the hotel requesting urgent help with an intoxicated guest, according to audio related to the case obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry.

"When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone," the worker said, adding that the guest's life was at risk because their room had a balcony.

- With Reuters

Fans and media are flocking to the entrance of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires where Liam Payne was found dead.

A barrier has been set up around the premises with emergency vehicles still at the site.

Local police say they were told the hotel manager heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel before the 31-year-old's body was discovered in an internal courtyard.

Liam Payne's ex-fiancee Maya Henry, who he separated from in 2022 after three years together, is "understandably in shock", a representative for the 23-year-old told the Daily Mail.

According to the publication, Henry recently sent a cease and desist letter to Payne over claims he excessively contacted her and her friends and family. The pair were previously engaged.

Authorities in Argentina have shared sad details of what police faced when they arrived at Liam Payne's hotel.

The 31-year-old's body was found on an internal courtyard at the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires after what authorities say was a 14-metre fall.

"Unfortunately, he had injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death. There was no possibility of resuscitation," Alberto Crescenti, head of the Buenos Aires’ public emergency medical services, said.

Liam Payne leaves behind a seven-year-old son Bear, who he fathered during a relationship with pop star Cheryl Tweedy, widely known as Cheryl Cole after her marriage to former England soccer player Ashley Cole.

Payne previously told James Corden they chose their son's name as he "likes to make a lot of noise". Payne told People in 2018 he "always wanted to be a young dad".

Payne and Cheryl have tried to keep Bear out of the public spotlight. The couple split in 2018 and agreed to co-parent Bear.

Liam Payne shot to fame thanks to hit UK reality show X-Factor in 2010 when he auditioned as a baby-faced 16-year-old. One Direction was later formed when he was placed with four other contestants, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson in a band.

During his audition, his future partner, judge Cheryl Cole, said he looked "a little bit like Justin Bieber", to the delight of the audience.

Watch his performance that impressed Simon Cowell and Australian judge Dannii Minogue below.

Millions of fans around the world are in shock right now with the news of Liam Payne's death and tributes are pouring in for the former One Direction star.

Millionaire media personality Steven Bartlett, who has known Payne for several years, said the news was "absolutely heartbreaking".

"I cannot believe what I'm reading about Liam Payne," he wrote online.

Paris Hilton said the news was "so upsetting". "Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend," she said.

Liam was in South America attending his former band member Niall Horan’s concert on October 2 alongside his girlfriend of two years, Kate Cassidy. He posted a video on Snapchat saying he was attending the concert as he wanted to “square up a couple of things” with the Irish singer.

“I think we might just go and say hello,” he said, “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about. And I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or anything like that. But just, um, we need to talk.”

Fans captured videos of Liam singing and dancing along to Niall’s performance from his box in Movistar Arena. He later posted selfies of himself and Niall on Snapchat alongside the caption: “Reunited ❤️.”

Following his tragic death, Liam's fans have been left outraged after TMZ shared photos of his body. The One Direction singer died in Argentina after falling from his hotel balcony.

TMZ was first to report the singer's death, leaving fans horrified after sharing images of his body.

The site shared photos showing the singer's tattoos, writing, "TMZ obtained a photo showing Liam's body on a wooden deck at the hotel with tables and chairs nearby. We're not showing the whole body, but you can clearly see his tattoos — a clock on his left forearm, and a scorpion on his abdomen."

Fans have been outraged, with one user writing on X, "Y’all are insane for exposing his lifeless body in this article without cause or warning."

"Respect his family, friends and fans. Delete that picture," someone else added.

One Facebook user wrote, "Those photos are SO disrespectful. This just happened. I would bet there are friends and family that haven’t been notified. Have some class TMZ. You can report without being absolutely disgusting about it."

"I think you guys should remove those photos," another said. "That is tasteless. Have some respect for his family and for his fans."

It appears TMZ has since removed the images of the One Direction singer's body.

Liam Payne has died at the age of 31, media in Argentina say, citing authorities.

Leading local newspapers La Nacion and Clarin reported that police were called to the hotel in the capital's leafy Palermo neighbourhood responding to an emergency call that cited "an aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol."

Ambulance workers later confirmed the death of the singer, who was found in an interior hotel patio, according to the news reports.

- With Reuters