When Baltimore resident Thomas Campbell allegedly went on a rampage two weeks ago in Sandtown Winchester — climbing on a BGE utility truck and then tossing furniture at police officers in the basement of a west Baltimore church– police used two 50,000-volt shocks from a Taser stun gun to subdue him.

But Campbell, 50, collapsed and died moments later after struggling with the officers, becoming the fifth death this year in Maryland involving the use of Tasers by police, a device they deem a “less than lethal” alternative to firearms.