Police secure the entrance to the Saint-Thomas d'Aquin high school where a teacher was stabbed to death by a pupil in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France, February 22, 2023. [Source: Reuters]

A 16-year-old pupil stabbed a Spanish-language teacher to death at a Roman Catholic high school in the high-end beach resort town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz in southwestern France, government officials said.

The pupil then told another teacher he was possessed and had heard voices that instructed him to carry out the attack, a source with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters.

Local prosecutor Jerome Bourrier said the pupil was being held in custody. A murder investigation is underway, indicating that they suspect the young man had planned his attack beforehand, the prosecutor said.

The victim was a woman of around 50, local lawmaker Vincent Bru said.

Pupils fled in panic after the stabbing, local newspaper Sud Ouest said, citing two students who were in the classroom and witnessed the attack.

The attacker stood up during a lesson and walked to the door, before turning around and stabbing the teacher, they said.

Education Minister Pap Ndiaye, speaking at the school, said a minute of silence would be held in schools on Thursday – though much of France is on winter break.