Alessia Cara has taken to social media to slam TMZ‘s unethical decision to share portions of graphic photos of Liam Payne‘s body following his death on Wednesday (Oct. 16).
First reported by TMZ and confirmed by CNN, the 31-year-old One Direction singer died after suffering a fatal fall from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to Argentinian police. TMZ‘s original post featured cropped photos of Payne’s body, showing his arm and waist, which were identifiable by his tattoos. “TMZ obtained a photo showing Liam’s body on a wooden deck at the hotel with tables and chairs nearby,” the story read. “We’re not showing the whole body, but you can clearly see his tattoo — a clock on his left forearm, and a scorpion on his abdomen.”
Shortly after, Cara took to X to tag the outlet and write, “ur gross.”
The photos have since been removed from the post, with the story now reading, “TMZ has seen a photo showing Liam’s body.”
Following the news of Payne’s death, celebrities including his “Get Low” collaborator Zedd and Paris Hilton mourned the loss of their friend. “RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real… absolutely heartbreaking …,” Zedd wrote on X alongside a broken-heart emoji, while Hilton tweeted, “So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing … Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend.”