As has been reported by the Wall Street Journal and others, Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment on Sunday morning from an apparent drug overdose.
According to the New York Times, Hoffman's body was found in his Greenwich Village apartment by a friend who had come after being unable to contact the actor. An anonymous police officer told the Times that Hoffman appears to have died from a drug overdose. His body was found with a syringe still in one of his arms, and an envelope with "what is believed to be heroin" nearby.
“It’s pretty apparent that it was an overdose,” the official said. “The syringe was in his arm.”
Mr. Hoffman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 2005 film “Capote,” in which he portrayed the writer Truman Capote.
He had undergone treatment for drug addiction in the past, and spoke in interviews about “falling off the wagon” last year after remaining clean for 23 years.
By around 2 p.m, more than a hundred people had gathered outside the address where the actor was found, in a brick apartment building on Bethune Street. The crowd was growing by the minute.
As people passed, they stopped, snapped photos, held hands and watched. They seemed to be waiting.
“He’s a local. He’s a fixture in this neighborhood,” said Christian McCulloch, 39, who said that he lives nearby. “You see him with his kids in the coffee shops, he is so sweet. It’s desperately sad.”
UPDATE: Hoffman's family has released the following statement:
We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone. This is a tragic and sudden loss and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving. Please keep Phil in your thoughts and prayers.
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