Liam Payne Jumped From Hotel Balcony, Buenos Aires Police Say

Liam Payne died by an apparent suicide ... local law enforcement in Argentina now says the fall from his third-floor hotel room was intentional.

A police official in Buenos Aires told The Associated Press Liam "had jumped from the balcony of his room."

According to the preliminary autopsy issued by government officials, the fall resulted in multiple injuries including “internal and external hemorrhage." The toxicology report is still pending.

As we reported, Liam landed on the pool deck below his room Wednesday afternoon in Buenos Aires -- but, the circumstances around the tragedy were not initially clear.

Although, law enforcement is saying he jumped ... we still don't know exactly what was going on in his hotel room.

A hotel employee made an emergency call to authorities in the lead-up to Liam's tragic death ... saying a hotel guest was "overwhelmed" by drugs and alcohol, and staff was worried because they hadn't been able to get into his hotel room for several days.

Photos from inside Liam's room show the chaotic scene ... including a smashed-up television and broken items littering the floor.

Many in Hollywood have tweeted condolences to the late 31-year-old, who leaves behind his 7-year-old son, Bear.