(AP, WJLA) - Authorities in Prince George's County say a man fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy was holding a replica handgun.

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The man has been identified as Franklin H. Sweeney Jr. He was shot Wednesday night in Riverdale when a sheriff's deputy tried to serve a temporary peace order on him.

The sheriff's office says the deputy, Paul Perriello, had tried four times before to serve the court's order.

According to the sheriff's office, the 10-year veteran was serving a temporary peace order at a home in the 6300 block of 63rd Avenue in Riverdale around 7:30 p.m. The deputy was allowed inside the home but soon was met by Sweeney, who had a gun.

"While talking to the female subject, a male subject appeared from the rear of the home displaying a firearm. Our deputy discharged his weapon striking the suspect," explained Captain Nancy Ridgely of the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office.

Sweeney was pronounced dead at the hospital. The deputy was not injured.

The gun in Sweeney's possession was later determined to be a replica.

"It's a shock. It's a shock," said neighbor Shirley Turley.

Turley and others in the Riverdale neighborhood told ABC7 they've never witnessed this level of violence.

"It's frightening to know that somebody died here on our street," Turley added.

A peace order typically involved two disputing parties who are not related to each other. Investigators say it's too early to know the nature of the dispute or for whom the peace order was intended.

Perriello has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.