French police have obtained a photograph of the man suspected of several armed attacks and taking a hostage in Paris Monday.

According to local media, the gunman is about 40-45 years of age, shaven-headed and overweight. He is wearing a hooded jacket in khaki color, light blue jeans and a cap. The attacker is wearing a duffel bag, and in addition to the riffle, he is likely to be in possession of hand grenades. He told the abducted motorist that he was armed with grenades, again according to French media.

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.

After releasing the hostage, the attacker fled on foot, and reportedly headed in the direction of the nearby subway stop. Other reports inform that he might be going towards the Eiffel Tower. People are advised to stay indoors.

Police, cited by The BBC, say the suspect is calm and assured, and each time has walked away from the scene of his attacks.

Earlier in the day, the same individual, police believe, opened fire at offices of newspaper Liberation and at a branch of the bank Societe Generale. The two incidents have been now officially linked.

The incident at the Liberation office left one young photographer fighting for his life.

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.

Police also say the man 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.

French President Francois Hollande asked Interior Minister, Manuel Valls, to mobilize every means to stop whoever was responsible for the attacks and to shed light on the circumstances.