18/11/2013 18:51
Paris gun attacks: Liberation and Societe Generale hit
A manhunt has been launched in Paris after a gunman attacked offices of the newspaper Liberation and opened fire outside the bank Societe Generale, the BBC reported.
A photographer, 27, was seriously hurt at Liberation and a motorist was forced to drive to the Champs Elysees before he was allowed to go.
Police are looking for the same man who broke into the Paris offices of the 24-hour news channel BFMTV on Friday.
Police have now been stationed outside all the main media offices in Paris.
Liberation said images of the suspect corresponded with those of the attacker at BFMTV.
The suspect is said to be between 40 and 45, shaven-headed and overweight.
The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says that, for a time, a police helicopter hung over the Champs Elysees amid fears the gunman might be heading towards the Eiffel Tower, but it is speculated that he might have gone into the metro.
People have been encouraged to stay indoors. Police say the suspect is calm and assured, and each time has walked away from the scene of his attacks.
French media say the hostage-taker told the motorist he was armed with grenades.
At 10:15 local time (09:15 GMT), the gunman entered the Paris offices of Liberation, near the Place de la Republique in the east of the city, and opened fire.
He injured a photographer in the chest and stomach before escaping. Liberation said three spent cartridges had been found.
The gunman did not say anything during the attack, Liberation reported.
Some two hours later, the bank Societe Generale confirmed that a man opened fire outside its headquarters in the western business district of La Defense. No-one was injured, the bank said.
One witness of the bank shooting told Le Figaro that he heard a large bang and saw a man wearing a khaki coat and a cap and carrying a shotgun.
The gunman's second shot caused panic and the man then disappeared down some stairs on to a street, the witness said.
Police say the gunman then hijacked a car in Nanterre, close to La Defense, and forced the driver to take him to the Champs Elysees, where he was dropped near the metro station George V.
Liberation's deputy editor Fabrice Tassel said the victim there was fighting for his life.
The victim - who has not been named - was said to be a freelance assistant photographer who had just arrived at the newspaper office to work on a fashion photoshoot.