A student, who claimed to be possessed, killed a teacher at a Roman Catholic school in southwestern France on Wednesday.

The Spanish instructor, who was in her 50s, was teaching at Saint-Jean-de-Luz when the student launched a knife attack on her, according to The Telegraph.

According to Sud Ouest, students panicked and ran out of the building following the stabbing in France.

BFMTV stated that after the incident, the attacker retreated into the next room and told a teacher that a voice commanded him to launch the attack. The teacher removed the knife and stayed with the student until the police showed up, per CNN.

The student may have been experiencing mental health problems, according to the local media. A representative claimed there was no evidence to imply terrorism at this time.

Reports from the scene stated that the victim suffered a heart attack and died shortly after rescue personnel arrived.

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French Government Assures Support for Teachers

French Education Minister Pap Ndiaye took to Twitter to offer his condolences to the slain teacher's family, colleagues, and children.

French government spokesman Olivier Véran told reporters that teachers throughout France will receive support after the attack committed by someone suffering from a mental health problem.

Veran said in a press conference that he "can hardly imagine the trauma" caused by the fatal incident, per the BBC.

The school is a private Catholic institution located close to the heart of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a popular summer holiday destination in France.

The students, who had been instructed to stay in their classrooms, were eventually allowed to leave at noon. Most of them got picked up by their parents.

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