ROSEVILLE, Mich. -- Zurlon Tipton, a former Indianapolis Colts running back, has died after accidentally shooting himself at a car dealership in suburban Detroit. He was 26.
Brian Taylor, a spokesman at Detroit's St. John Hospital, confirmed Tipton's death Tuesday. Police say he was handling a duffel bag when a gun in the bag fired as he dropped off his car in Roseville.
Tipton appeared in 16 games over two seasons for the Colts, gaining 38 yards on 15 carries. He was released by the team in December.
"Zurlon was a dude you rooted for -- an undrafted, talented, hardworking player who always seemed to have a smile on his face. His personality was contagious," Colts long snapper Matt Overton told ESPN's Mike Wells.
"He will always be our brother. He is family," Overton added. "Today is a tough day for many. Prayers go out to his family during this difficult time."
The Detroit native played college football at Central Michigan. Tipton's best season was 2012 when he scored 19 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 1,500 yards. Injuries limited him to only five games in 2013, his senior season.
CMU says the death is "shocking and tragic."
Tipton was arrested in another incident allegedly involving a gun early last Christmas morning. According to the Greenwood (Indiana) Police Department, Tipton allegedly fired one round from an AR-15 assault weapon at 1 a.m. outside a suburban Indianapolis home and was charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
