Two women who were sexually assaulted in separate incidents over the weekend were both attacked while frequenting Toronto parks.

Police say the incidents, both of which happened in less than 12 hours on Sunday, are not linked.

The first incident happened at around 8:30 a.m. at a park near Finch Avenue and Don Mills Road in North York. A 20-year-old woman told police she was sexually assaulted at gunpoint.

Const. Tony Vella, spokesperson for Toronto police, said the woman was approached by a man who struck up a conversation. At one point, the suspect pointed a handgun into the woman's ribs and forced her to a secluded part of the park, where she was reportedly assaulted and then sexually assaulted. The suspect then fled from the scene.

The suspect in this incident is said to be a black man who is 20 to 30 years old and has braided hair and tattoos on his arms, police said.

He was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans at the time of the attack, and he was carrying a black handgun with a round barrel.

Later that evening, at 8:30 p.m., police were called to High Park in the city’s west end, to investigate a report of a second sexual attack.

Police said a 27-year-old woman was attacked near the west-end park's main entrance, just south of Bloor Street West and High Park Avenue, as she took a break from a jog.

The woman was sitting on a park bench near a playground when a stranger approached her and began to talk to her.

Police said the woman fought off the man and broke free, bringing an end to the attack. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries and the suspect was last seen fleeing from the scene.

The scene was taped off overnight, as police preserved the scene to conduct a search for evidence in daylight.

Police said the male suspect is black with a light complexion, in his 20s and five-foot-six to five-foot-eight with short, curly black hair.

Vella said police want people to remember to keep their distance from strangers.

“Try and create that distance from you and that person in case they try to reach out and do something,” he said. “They idea is to get away, run, scream, yell and create that attention because they don’t want that attention.”

Vella also encouraged people to trust their instinct and listen to their gut.

“If you suspect there is wrongdoing then you are right,” he said. “Get away and call police.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-1100, the sex crimes unit at 416-808-7474, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS

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