Police were looking for four men who allegedly beat and stabbed a 24-year-old 'Aiea man to death yesterday morning in downtown Honolulu.

A 32-year-old man told police he saw the 24-year-old arguing with a group of four men near the corner of Pauahi and Bethel streets at 1:30 a.m. yesterday.

The witness tried to intervene and calm the situation, police said, but the argument escalated.

Two of the men began to punch and kick the 24-year-old while a third pulled him to the pavement, police said. Once on the ground, the fourth man ran up to the 24-year-old and stabbed him. Police did not say where or how many times the man was stabbed.

The man was taken to The Queen's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:03 a.m., police said. Police said the four men are local residents in their 20s.