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Argentine authorities continue to investigate the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died Wednesday at age 31 after falling three stories from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Payne was a beloved member of the group, which formed in 2010 after its members — Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik — auditioned for “The X-Factor” singing competition series as solo acts and were brought together by judge Simon Cowell to form the band. They became one of the most successful boy bands of all time, with a loyal fan base of “Directioners” and a meteoric rise to fame on par with Beatlemania.
Here is what we know — and what remains unknown — about the star’s untimely death.
Hotel staff at the Casa Sur Hotel in the chic Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital where Payne was staying called the police Wednesday evening with concerns about a guest who they said was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol.” Police rushed to the hotel and responded to the call just after 5 p.m. local time and they later confirmed they arrived just minutes before the fall.
The hotel manager could be heard on a 911 call obtained by The Associated Press saying the guest was “destroying the entire room” and added, “We need you to send someone, please.” The manager’s voice became more anxious as the call went on, noting the room had a balcony.
Officials said Payne’s fall injuries alone were enough to cause his death, but prosecutors described Payne’s case as “suspicious,” citing the likelihood that the star had been drinking alcohol and taking drugs. The office also confirmed all signs pointed to Payne being alone at the time of the incident and authorities have ordered a toxicology report.
Whether the fall was intentional or accidental remains unknown, but the public prosecutor said the lack of defensive injuries on Payne’s hands indicated that “he did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.
