LOS ANGELES — Fans of Liam Payne were in shock and mourning on Wednesday after the death of the former One Direction star at age 31.
Payne was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, local officials said Wednesday.
Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina's capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.”
Payne was one of five members of the band One Direction, which formed in 2010 when they each auditioned for the British singing competition series “The X Factor.”
One Direction, known for their pop sound and romantic hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” had six Top 10 Billboard hits by the time they disbanded in 2016.
Reaction from celebrities and fans of Payne flooded social media as the news spread Wednesday evening.
"So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing," Paris Hilton wrote. "Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend."