Two Sanford men have been charged with the stabbing of a homeless person during an alleged bicycle theft early Thursday morning.

Derrick Roberts-Poulin and Jordan Roberge, both aged 21, are both charged with robbery and elevated aggravated assault.

Police say they were alerted to an altercation at the intersection of Emery Street and Heritage Crossing at 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

Two men approached William Southworth, 38, and stole his bicycle, according to police.

During the confrontation, three to four gunshots were fired by one of the assailants, police say. The other stabbed Southworth multiple times in the back.

Police did not indicate which man allegedly stabbed Southworth nor which one fired the shots.

Southworth was transported by Sanford Fire/Rescue to Maine Medical Center in Portland where he was in stable condition, according to police.

Police said the wounds were non-fatal.

After a search warrant was executed and evidence collected at 907 Main St., Roberts-Poulin and Roberge were interviewed and arrested at the Sanford Police Department.

“This case also highlights the vulnerability of the unhoused population that resided in Sanford to which a vulnerable person was ultimately a victim,” police stated in a press release.

Sanford’s Criminal Investigation Division, Patrol Division and York County Special Response Team worked on the investigation.