Police are investigating the sexual assaults of two women, and another suspicious incident, in south Ottawa early Friday morning.

The first attack happened at about 7:20 a.m. when a 22-year-old woman was followed by a suspicious man from Hurdman Station to a Riverview Public School near the intersection of Drake Avenue and Knox Crescent. The man did not approach the woman but was seen entering the school.

Riverview Public School was still in lockdown mode at 12:00 p.m.

About 20 minutes later, at approximately 7:40 a.m., a 19-year-old woman was walking along Dorion Avenue when a man approached her from behind and pulled her pants down. She fought the man off before he calmly walked away. 

The third incidence took place at about 8 a.m. when a 41-year-old woman also had her pants pulled down as she walked along on Industrial Avenue near Alta Vista Drive.

The attacks bring the total number of sexual assaults in the past two weeks to nine. The attacks have mainly happened in the downtown area and nearby neighbourhoods.

Police say some of the attacks are connected. The assaults that happened Friday are similar to several other attacks where women have been followed before having their pants pulled down by a male suspect.

The suspect is described as a white male, 5 ft 6in (168 cm), 20-25 years, with a medium build, and short black hair. He was wearing a dark hooded jacket, blue jeans and a dark baseball cap.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Sexual Assault/Child Abuse Section at 613-236-1222 ext. 5944 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS).

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman