Anton Yelchin, who starred in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films as Chekov, died early Sunday at the age of 27. Yelchin was involved in a freak accident that led to him being "pinned by his own car," according to TMZ. Yelchin's publicist has since confirmed his passing, saying "His family requests you respect their privacy at this time."

Friends discovered the young actor's body after Yelchin was several hours late for a scheduled rehearsal on Saturday night. "They went to his San Fernando Valley home at around 1AM and found him pinned between his car and a brick mailbox, which was attached to a security gate," the report claims. The engine was apparently still running, with the car placed in neutral.

Yelchin recently appeared in thriller Green Room, and his death comes a month before the theatrical release of Justin Lin's Star Trek: Beyond, which again features the Russian-born Yelchin as Chekov. Other notable film credits include Alpha Dog, Fright Night, and Charlie Bartlett. Star Trek co-stars John Cho, Karl Urban, and others who knew Yelchin reacted to the tragic news on Twitter.