By abc40 Staff

Amherst, Mass. (abc40) -- A young child has been struck and killed by a school bus in Amherst after the child ran out in front of it while waiting with its sibling at a bus stop around 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to a school official.

Neighbors said the victim was a 2-year-old boy. According to Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Co-Superintendant Helen Vivian, the child was the younger sibling of a Marks Meadow Elementary student.  She said the child was waiting with its older sibling and one of their parents when the accident occurred. The driver of the town-owned school bus had been with the district for some time, according to Vivian.

"He's been with us for a long time," said Vivian, adding "It's just horrid."

The accident happened at the intersection of Summer and Montague Streets, and police have remained on the scene throughout the day while the incident still under investigation. The empty school bus was still on the scene into the afternoon.

According to Vivian, it was the bus's first stop on its route and no other children were on the bus at the time. She said parents took other children at that bus stop home.

Vivian, who shares her superintendent duties with her husband Alan Sprague, said they were both out of the district at the time of the accident. Vivian said Sprague returned to the district to handle the situation while she fielded phone calls.

Amherst police would release few details about the incident Monday morning.

Stay tuned to abc40 for more information as it becomes available.