Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died, a day after he was shot in the leg, said family friend Richard Sharpstein.

He said Taylor's father called him at about 5:30 a.m. to tell him the news.

"His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me," said Sharpstein, Taylor's former lawyer. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans."

He said he did not know exactly when Taylor died.

Team owner Dan Snyder said in a statement on the Redskins' Web site: "This is the worst imagineable tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sean's family."

The Redskins' Web site said that team officials are expecting to address the media Tuesday. On Monday, head coach Joe Gibbs said that owner Dan Snyder and a contingent of team officials flew to Miami Monday morning after hearing of the incident.

Taylor's father, Pedro, released a statement Tuesday morning.

"It is with deep regret that a young man had to come to his end so soon," said Taylor, the police chief of the Florida City, Fla. Police Department. "Many of his fans loved him because the way he played football. Many of his opponents feared him the way he approached the game. Others misunderstood him, many appreciated him and his family loved him.

"I can only hope and pray that Sean's life was not in vain that it might touch others in a special way," Pedro Taylor said.

Doctors had been encouraged late Monday night when Taylor squeezed a nurse's hand. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn't sure how he had squeezed the nurse's hand.

"Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something," Sharpstein said.

The 24-year-old Redskins safety was shot early Monday in his home in the upper leg, damaging an artery and causing significant blood loss. Sharpstein said that Taylor never regained consciousness after the shooting.

"In football what you do is spend a huge amount of time with each other. You get to know somebody. With Sean, we really respected how much he loved football," Gibbs said Monday afternoon after hearing the news. "He felt like it was what he was made to do. What I have noticed over the last year and a half, I have watched him mature. I think his baby had a huge impact on him. Conversationally, he would bring her up often. There was a real growing up for him, a real maturing."