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Former Indianapolis Colts running back Zurlon Tipton died after he accidentally shot himself Tuesday morning at a Michigan car dealership. He was reaching into his vehicle to get a bag containing two handguns when one discharged, hitting him in the stomach.

The Roseville, Mich., police department said it received notification from St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit that the 26-year-old died from his injuries after the incident about 9:30 a.m. in a service bay at the car dealership.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Police Chief James Berlin said the handgun was a .45-caliber semi-automatic that belonged to Tipton, who had a concealed pistol license. Berlin said both guns were registered to Tipton.

Tipton brought his Jeep to the dealership to be serviced. He was placing personal belongings in the bag and while doing so, one of the handguns inside the bag discharged, with a round striking him, police said in a release. Police said in the release that Tipton was talking at the time he was transported to the hospital.

No one else was hurt, police said.

The Colts signed Tipton after the 2014 draft as an undrafted free agent, the longest of long shots. But he went on to make it to the active roster for six games during that regular season before contributing 18 carries during the team’s three postseason games (including 40 rushing yards in a wild-card game win over the Cincinnati Bengals).

Tipton spent another 10 games on the roster in 2015, playing mostly on special teams.

All the while, he was among the most popular players in the locker room, where he could be found routinely making jokes about anyone within shouting distance.

Fellow running back Frank Gore, who got to know Tipton during his first season with the Colts last season, was struggling with the news Tuesday afternoon.

“This really messed me up,” Gore said. “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.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted: "Rest in peace, Zurlon. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Tipton family."

Tipton played college football at Central Michigan University. CMU athletic director Dave Heeke issued a statement Tuesday:

“This is shocking and tragic news, and our condolences go out to Zurlon’s family and friends. We knew Zurlon as a good guy, a captain and a student who grew as a person and a player on his way to getting his degree at CMU. What he did on the field in his career established him as one of the top running backs in CMU history.”

Tipton had been involved in a previous shooting incident. He was arrested in late 2015 in Greenwood for allegedly firing a semi-automatic rifle.

According to the December 2015 news release from the Greenwood Police Department, Tipton was arrested after police responded to reports of gunshots in the 1400 block of Round Lake Road. Witnesses told police the suspects fled the scene in a Jeep, which was tracked down a couple of blocks from the scene.

Tipton, the driver of the Jeep, was questioned along with his brother, Cortez Tipton, who was a passenger. Police found a loaded 9mm handgun and a loaded Colt AR-15 assault rifle in the car.

The prosecutor’s office declined to file charges, according to the Greenwood Police Department.

Reporting by IndyStar's Stephen Holder and Madeline Buckley and The Detroit Free Press.

Colts players, fans react to Tipton's death