An Ohio State University football player who went missing earlier this week was found dead on Sunday not far from his apartment, authorities said.

Kosta Karageorge, 22, a fifth-year senior who was last seen early Wednesday morning, died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Columbus Police Department said on its Facebook page.

The department said Karageorge's body was found inside a dumpster and a gun was found at the scene near his the apartment.   

His mother, Susan, told authorities earlier this week he has suffered several concussions and has had spells of being extremely confused, a police report said. His sister Sophia Karageorge told the Columbus Dispatch newspaper her brother suffered his latest concussion a month ago and might have become disoriented.

The school's athletic department said in a statement it "was shocked and saddened" to learn of Karageorge's death.

In a statement after he went missing, Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer described Karageorge as a "hard worker on the field and pleasant off the field."