Philip Seymour Hoffman Found Dead With A Needle In His Arm

Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead Sunday in a New York City apartment of an apparent drug overdose ... TMZ has learned authorities found a needle in his arm.

The actor was found Sunday morning inside a Greenwich apartment ... and they're still on scene investigating.

An assistant found the actor alone in the apartment -- he hadn't heard from Hoffman and was checking up on him.

Details surrounding his death are unclear ... but the actor had struggled with drug problems ... most recently checking himself into a rehab facility for heroin back in May.

TMZ broke the story of Hoffman going to rehab. We were told he did it as a preventative measure because he was getting close to a major relapse. A source involved in Hoffman's treatment now tells TMZ ... the actor said at the time he was on the brink of become a heroin IV user and wanted to nip it in the bud before that happened.
Hoffman had been clean for 23 years but fell off the wagon in 2012.

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