©Bill Green

Cassandra Rollings, a family friend, holds a photograph of Jarrel Gray, 20, who died early Sunday morning after being struck by a taser by police responding to a reported fight on Ladd Court off Crestwood Boulevard.

Frederick, Maryland - A 20-year-old man died early Sunday after he was struck by a Taser, according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

A deputy, whose name was not released by police, arrived at the 7000 block of Gresham Court East, near Crestwood Boulevard about 4:54 a.m., after a fight was reported.

There, the deputy found four people fighting outside and deployed a Taser, striking the 20-year-old man, spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Bailey said. The sheriff's office did not release the man's name, but relatives and friends identified him as Jarrel Gray of nearby Ladd Circle.

The man fell on the ground unconscious and was given first aid on the scene, then taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead, Bailey said. The Frederick Police Department is assisting the sheriff's office with the investigation.

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave with pay, Bailey said. She could not provide details about Gray's health, nor could she say anything about how many shocks were administered.

Those questions are all part of the investigation, she said, and information will be released as it becomes available.

Gray's body was sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Bailey said.

Daniel Lugo, Gray's friend and neighbor, said he, Gray and some other friends, got home from a party early Sunday morning. The two live in the 7000 block of Ladd Circle, but were outside in nearby Gresham Court East.

About 10 minutes later, Lugo, 18, said, police surrounded the area.

He did not see what happened, but Lugo said a friend told him a few people were pretending to fight and a neighbor might have called police, concerned that they were actually fighting.

Police commanded everyone there to get on the ground, Lugo said. A friend told him the deputy struck Gray with a Taser and administered multiple shocks for several seconds, even though Gray had said, "I'm on the ground."

Gray's friends and relatives struggled to piece together what happened early Sunday.

His mother, Tanya Thomas, said he was deaf in one ear and might not have heard the commands as well as others. She said police did not have many details.

"All I know is there was an altercation, they Tased him and now he's gone," Thomas said. "My baby's gone."

Several friends and relatives gathered Sunday afternoon at Gray's house and in the area, about a block from where he was hit by the Taser. Many described Gray as a respectful, dependable and caring person.

Chanda Thompson, of Frederick, was among those mourning for Gray. He was her cousin and best friend, she said.

Thompson and several others said hospital officials reported Gray, who graduated from Frederick High School in 2005, was healthy at the time he was struck by the Taser.

Tasers, which are designed to temporarily incapacitate a person through electrical impulses, are considered a less-than-lethal weapon and are part of a deputy's regular equipment. More than 80 police agencies in Maryland are equipped with Tasers, according to Taser International, the weapon's manufacturer. No independent, national studies have been done on the risks linked to Tasers.

Cassandra Rollings, a family friend, said Gray had planned to go on a job interview today.

"I just need answers," Thomas said. "I want to know what happened to my son."