Did detective Hoffman die in Saw V at the end?

That's a great question! And the answer is a bit tricky. Here's the breakdown:

* In Saw V, Hoffman appears to die. He's shot multiple times by Agent Strahm, and his body is left in the collapsing building.

* However, Hoffman is revealed to be alive in Saw VI. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and used the chaos to escape.

So, while Hoffman *appears* to die in Saw V, he is revealed to have survived and continues to play a significant role in Saw VI.