Former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead outside a Buenos Aires hotel after falling from the balcony of his third-floor room, Argentine police said Wednesday. Just hours after his death, a video began circulating on social media purporting to show the singer’s fatal fall. Even though the video was viewed thousands of times online in just a few minutes, many were quick to debunk it. Others criticized those who posted or shared it, calling for respect for the late singer. (Also read: One Direction singer Liam Payne found dead in Buenos Aires: report)
Fact check: Liam Payne death video shared on social media?
Video shared online shows a man, believed to be Liam Payne, falling from a building. Since Liam died from a fall from his hotel balcony, many assumed this was a video of his final moments. The caption that accompanied it claimed so. However, online fact-checkers were quick to point out that the video was from 2023 and that the man in question was not Liam Payne at all.
Liam Payne died on Wednesday at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires. In a statement, Buenos Aires police said they were called to the hotel in the leafy Palermo neighborhood, where they were informed of the presence of “an aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs and of alcohol”.
The hotel manager said he heard a loud noise from the back of the hotel, and when police arrived, they found a man had fallen from his room balcony, according to the release. Emergency services confirmed the death of the British singer, who was reportedly found in the interior patio of the hotel.
Reactions to Liam Payne’s death
American Music channel MTV, streaming service Spotify and the BRITs British Music Awards all expressed their grief on social media, sending their condolences to his family and loved ones. Payne had a son named Bear with British television personality and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl in 2017.
Police received a call from a hotel employee requesting urgent help for an intoxicated guest, according to an audio recording relating to the case obtained from the Buenos Aires Security Ministry.
“When he’s conscious he destroys the whole room and we need you to send someone,” the employee said, adding that the guest’s life was in danger because his room had a balcony. Rescue workers removed the body from the hotel to the morgue, while fans and spectators who had gathered earlier in the evening, some hugging and crying, burst into applause.
With contributions from Reuters
