Former Notre Dame star defensive tackle Louis Nix was found dead on Saturday after previously being reported missing.
Former Notre Dame star defensive tackle Louis Nix was found dead on Saturday after he was previously reported missing, members of his family told two Jacksonville television stations.
He was 29.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Nix was last seen leaving his father's residence on Wednesday morning. On Saturday evening, in the wake of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office issuing an advisory earlier that day saying it was attempting to locate Nix, the JSO announced Nix had been found, but did not go into detail on his condition. However, CBS/Fox affiliate Action News Jax reported that Nix's mother confirmed Nix had died. WJXT TV-4 reported Nix's death according to family members, citing that Nix's brother told WJXT TV-4 on Saturday night that Nix is “gone.”
According to the Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville police are investigating Nix's death.
Nix's death comes nearly three months after he survived a shooting while putting air in his tires at a gas station near the Jacksonville airport. He was shot in the chest, where the bullet hit off his sternum and went into his lung.
At the time Nix posted a video that went viral as he was transported to the hospital.
"I just got shot and robbed while I was putting air in my tires."
"If I do not make it, I really love everybody," he said. "I can't contact nobody right now."
He later said he spent 10 days at the hospital.
Nix starred at Jacksonville's Raines High School before attending Notre Dame between 2010-2013. With the Fighting Irish, Nix started almost 30 games over his final three seasons, notably recording 50 tackles and a team-high five pass breakups during Notre Dame's unbeaten 2012 regular season.
Despite tearing his meniscus midway through his senior season, Nix was a third-round pick of the Texans in the 2014 NFL draft. He needed three knee surgeries throughout his rookie season and was eventually released by the team after one year. Over the next two years, he also signed with the Giants, Washington Football Team and Jaguars, but never appeared in a game.