People gather in front of the Bois d’Aulne college after the attack in the Paris suburb of Conflans St Honorine, France.

The teenager who beheaded a teacher outside the school in a Paris suburb where he taught had approached pupils in the street and asked them to point out his victim, anti-terrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said on Saturday.

Police shot dead the 18-year-old attacker, who was born in Russia, minutes after he murdered 47-year-old history teacher Samuel Paty in broad daylight in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine on Friday.

A photograph of the teacher’s body, accompanied by a message claiming responsibility posted on Twitter, was discovered on the assailant’s phone, found near his body. Ricard said the Twitter account belonged to the attacker.

The post was removed swiftly by Twitter, which said it had suspended the account because it violated the company’s policy.

Ricard quoted the message as saying: “In the name of Allah…