One passenger was shot fatally and five others were wounded on a Greyhound bus in Southern California early Monday, authorities said.

The bus was traveling from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay area on Interstate 5, a main north-south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States. 

The shooting was reported at 1:27 a.m. local time near Fort Tejon Road in Kern County by some passengers on the bus, a local news outlet, City News Service, reported.

There were 42 passengers on the bus along with the driver. A 51-year-old woman died aboard the bus and the other five were taken to hospitals. 

The bus driver pulled over on the freeway shoulder and a male suspect got off, leaving a handgun behind, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Brian Pennings was quoted as saying by City News Service.

The suspect was taken into custody later by the police and his motive was not immediately released.