Montreal police is seeking the public's help in locating a man suspected of committing two sexual assaults and two other violent assaults against women in the McGill Ghetto area Thursday night between 10:15 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.

Const. Daniel Lacoursière of the Montreal police says the victims were all walking alone and were attacked from behind in the area bordered by Milton, Durocher, Sherbrooke and Jeanne-Mance.

The victims were between the ages of 19 and 26, and all four were able to free themselves and run away from the suspect. All four victims were attacked violently with blows to the head, while two of them were also sexually assaulted.

One of the victims was taken to hospital and released, Lacoursière said.

"The suspect was very violent," he told CTV Montreal's Maya Johnson. "He hit the four women in the head area with his bare hands and fists."

The suspect is described as a man between 20 and 25 years old standing anywhere between 6-foot and 6-foot-2 and weighing about 185 pounds.

The suspect spoke English, but with a French accent, and police say he is a white man with lightly tinted skin who is "possibly Middle Eastern." He was wearing a three-quarter length beige raincoat in two of the assaults, and a waist-length dark coat in the two others.

McGill University sent students an e-mail alerting them of the incidents.

"I was actually walking in this area alone last night," McGill student Haley Kemp said. "My friend showed me the email and that could have been anyone we know. It is surprising."

Police are encouraging people in the area to take basic precautions.

"Know your surroundings, know exactly what's going on around you, first of all," Lacoursière said. "Second of all, if you see something suspicious, ask somebody to walk with you."

Second man suspected of targeting women

Meanwhile, police are also attempting to locate Nicholas Patterson, 45, who is a suspect in connection with several armed robberies of women in the southern section of downtown.

Patterson is wanted by police in connection with six robberies and assaults that have all taken place since January in the vicinity of Police Station 20, just south of Place Bonaventure.

Police say Patterson approaches his female victims by saying he works in film and then pretends he needs money to get to the airport or he fakes an asthma attack before asking for the money. When the victims refused, he hit them violently.

One of the victims was seriously injured after the attack.

Patterson has brown hair, green eyes, speaks English and is often wearing a well-ironed shirt, according to police. He has no known address and probably uses services for homeless people.

Anyone who may have been a victim in either of these cases is asked to call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest police station. Anyone with information on either of the two cases can call 9-1-1 or Info-Crime Montreal at 514-393-1133.