Multiple people, including a bus passenger, suffered from gunshot wounds following an altercation in the downtown area of a western Massachusetts city, police said.

In a press release, Massachusetts State Police (MSP) said that officers began to receive multiple reports for gunshots near an intersection in Holyoke around 12:44 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Police said that "multiple victims suffered gunshot wounds," but did not indicate how many. One of the victims included a bus passenger, police said.

The victims were immediately transported to local hospitals.

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MSP said that a preliminary investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from an "altercation among a group of people."

The office of Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia said the mayor was aware of the shooting.

"Shortly before 1 p.m. today there was a shooting at the intersection of Maple and Sargeant Streets in Holyoke. There were multiple gunshot victims. The police investigation is active and ongoing," the office said.

Holyoke police have asked residents to avoid the area while officers investigate the scene. 

As of 5 p.m., there was no word from police on a suspect or suspects, or the conditions of the victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.