Liam Payne died after falling multiple stories at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16 Louis Tomlinson is paying tribute to his former bandmate. The singer posted in honor of his late bandmate Liam Payne on social media.

Louis Tomlinson called the late Liam Payne “ the most vital part of One Direction ” in a heartfelt tribute to his bandmate, who died yesterday afternoon at the age of 31. Tomlinson was the first member of the British boy band to post a reaction to Payne’s death, and you can read his full statement below.

Louis Tomlinson has addressed Liam Payne’s death in a touching tribute posted hours after the latter fatally fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Argentina. Tomlinson, 32, took to Instagram on Thursday to break his silence on his former One Direction bandmate’s sudden passing.