Police are searching for two men who stabbed a man outside an East Washington Street store late Monday.

The victim, Melvin Stephenson, told police he was standing outside Willie’s Grocery, 1500 E. Washington St., when the two suspects walked up and began assaulting him, said city spokeswoman Debbie George. One of the two suspects had a knife – or a similar type of object – and stabbed Stephenson in the abdomen and upper left arm, George said.

The two suspects were black and approximately 18 to 20 years old, police said. One of the men wore blue jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt; the other wore jeans and a red hooded sweatshirt.

Stephenson told police he tried to run but the suspects followed him onto North 8th Street and continued to assault him, George said.

Nothing was taken from Stephenson, she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Suffolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.