Ex-NFL Player Dies From Accidental Gunshot

Ex-NFL Player Dies From Accidental Gunshot

Former NFL player Zurlon Tipton has died after he accidentally shot himself at a car dealership in suburban Detroit.

Tipton, 26, was handling a duffel bag when a gun in the bag fired, police said.

A hospital spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the former Indianapolis Colts running back died from his injuries.

Tipton appeared in 16 games over two seasons for the Colts.

He was released by the team in December.

Fellow running back Frank Gore told the Indianapolis Star he was struggling with the news of Tipton's death.

"This really messed me up," he told the newspaper.

"Zurlon wasn't a bad kid. He was a good dude. He really wanted football to work out. He was always great with the playbook but most of all, he was a great person.

"He loved to have fun. He was always loud and acting crazy in the locker room. That's just who he was."

Tipton, a native of Detroit, played college football at Central Michigan.

The university issued a statement, calling Tipton's death "shocking and tragic".