Internet Outrage: TMZ Criticized for Publishing Liam Payne’s Body Photos Immediately After His Death

Following the tragic passing of former One Direction star Liam Payne on October 16, many individuals have criticized TMZ for purportedly distributing images of parts of his deceased body shortly after the news broke.

The unfortunate event took place at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the 31-year-old artist was staying.

Alberto Crescenti, head of Buenos Aires Emergency Medical Services (SAME), reported that hotel staff contacted emergency services on Wednesday night after a man, allegedly under the influence of substances, was seen acting erratically in the lobby.

According to TMZ, the individual was believed to be Liam, who was reportedly seen vandalizing his laptop in the hotel lobby before being escorted back to his room by a hotel employee.

Police statements revealed that Liam fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel. Paramedics proclaimed him dead upon discovering his body in the hotel’s inner courtyard.

However, various users on X have accused TMZ of announcing the unfortunate news alongside images of Liam’s tattooed hand and waist. One user, @ellkay_, criticized the act as “beyond deplorable.”

“Liam Payne dies at 31 and leaves behind a child, and TMZ casually posts images of his body (tattoos) to confirm his death… I can’t handle this,”condemned another user on X.

“TMZ partially displayed Liam Payne’s deceased body in their article breaking the news. May that entire disgraceful ‘news’ outlet be obliterated, and may every so-called ‘journalist’ there meet their downfall,”wrote another.

Alessia Cara, known for her hit “Scars To Your Beautiful,”also expressed her disdain for the outlet.

Some users referenced Liam’s controversial past but emphasized that sharing images of his deceased body was disrespectful, no matter the public perception of him.

“Regardless of your views on Liam Payne, sharing images of his deceased body is completely unacceptable. I hope TMZ faces serious consequences,”argued one user.

Others highlighted the inappropriateness of posting these images, especially considering Liam leaves behind a seven-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne.

“Liam Payne has a child, and TMZ is showing images of his deceased body online. Purely money-hungry vultures,”lamented another user.

TMZ Appears to Have Removed Liam Payne’s Body Images After Outrage

X user @seeitinmymind noted that TMZ asserted in their article that they possessed a photo showing where Liam’s body was located on a wooden deck surrounded by “tables and chairs nearby.”They further stated:

“We’re not revealing the entire body, but his tattoos are clearly visible – a clock on his left forearm and a scorpion on his abdomen.”

Another tweet from user @triffic_stuff_ included the alleged images shared by the outlet, which still bore their visible watermark.

However, as of this writing, the reported images were no longer accessible in the outlet’s published content or tweets. It seems likely that TMZ decided to retract the images following the significant backlash online.

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