Gunman opens fire at French newspaper Libération seriously injuring photographer

A man armed with a pump action rifle burst into the lobby of the Paris premises of French left-wing newspaper Libération at 1015 on Monday morning and opened fire, seriously injuring an assistant photographer before fleeing.

A policeman near entrance of French daily newspaper Libération AFP/Kenzo Tribouillard

The victim was hit in the thorax, according to the police.

A security cordon has been erected around the area and Interior minister Manuel Valls, Culture and Media Minister Aurélie Filippetti and the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë are now at the scene of the incident.

Aurélie Filippetti told reporters outside the building that the attack on Libération represented an attack on one of the key pillars of democracy. 

Interior Minister Manuel Valls said that police were doing all possible to track down the fugitive gunman.

On Friday, an armed man entered the premises of BFMTV television station in the French capital threatening journalists before fleeing.

It is unclear at this stage whether the two incidents are related.