Boston Police are investigating the attempted sexual assaults and non-life threatening stabbings of two young women in separate incidents near Mission Hill early this morning.
The first attack occurred around 2 a.m., when a man jumped out of the bushes near Vancouver Street and Huntington Avenue, grabbed a young woman from behind and attempted to sexually assault her, police said.
The man stabbed the woman in the leg with a knife before she escaped. Police described the suspect as a 6-foot-tall white male with blond or brownish hair, wearing a blue plaid shirt and khaki shorts.
Then, at 2:51 a.m., police received a 911 call reporting an attempted sexual assault at Huntington Avenue and Parker Hill Street, according to Boston Police spokeswoman Officer Neva Coakley.
The second victim was also grabbed from behind by a man with a knife; he knocked the woman to the ground and stabbed her in the hand before she too was able to escape. Police said the suspect in the second attack was a white male in his early 20s with brownish wavy hair, between 5 foot 7 and 6 feet tall, wearing a white or gray hoodie and blue jeans.
Coakley said the two attacks may be related. She also said police had no indication they are related to other sexual assaults in the city.
Police are encouraging anyone with information to call District 2 detectives at 617-343-4275, the Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400, or the department’s anonymous tip line at 1-800-494-TIPS.
Dan Adams can be reached at dadams@globe.com. Find him on Twitter at @DanielAdams86.
