At least 3 people shot in US' Massachusetts, police initiates probe

One of the victims was on a bus that was passing through the area, according to state police.

A shooting claimed the life of a baby that was delivered after its mother was one of several people hit by gunfire from a fight Wednesday on a downtown street in the western Massachusetts city of Holyoke, authorities said.

The public is being asked to avoid the intersection of Sargeant and Maple streets. (Rep image)

The woman was shot in the afternoon while seated on a bus and taken to a hospital in critical condition, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office said.

“The infant, who was delivered, and needed life-saving medical services, tragically passed away,” it added.

Police responded to the shooting at 12:38 p.m. and said it appeared three male suspects were involved in an altercation and the shooting.

All involved suspects were believed to have been identified and taken to hospitals and in custody, according to the District Attorney’s Office. No further information was immediately given on their conditions.

State police spokesperson Dave Procopio said earlier that the shooting stemmed from “an altercation among people on the street.”

This incident is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and the Holyoke Police Department.

Police said they received a 911 call about the shooting near the intersection of Sargeant and Maple streets, as well as notifications from ShotSpotter. State police said they sent patrols, K-9 teams and investigative units to help Holyoke Police with the investigation, including the search for suspects in the area.

The office of Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia said he was aware of the shooting and would provide more details later.

Holyoke, which is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Boston, is a city with a population of nearly 38,000. It is also home to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.