(CNN) -- A man suspected of fatally shooting an Iowa football coach Wednesday was released from a hospital the day before, without the knowledge of police, who had asked to be notified, authorities said. 

Ed Thomas had been with the school district for more than 30 years and was well-known in the region. 

Mark Becker, 24, faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Ed Thomas, 58, a longtime football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School. 

Investigators believe Becker walked into the school's weight room, where Thomas was overseeing athletes' weight lifting, about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday and shot him multiple times as about 20 horrified students looked on. Thomas was flown to a hospital, where he later died. 

"It's just too early to speculate" on a motive for the shooting, said Kevin Winker, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

Authorities said Becker was a former student at Aplington-Parkersburg, which is about 100 miles northeast of Des Moines, Iowa, and a former football player. 

The agency, however, noted that Becker had "recent contact" with police in Cedar Falls, Iowa, about 25 miles to the east of Parkersburg. On June 20, Becker led police on a high-speed chase after he allegedly broke into a man's house, according to a division statement. He was taken into custody, but early the next morning authorities determined he needed medical attention and he was taken to a hospital. Police asked to be notified when he was released, the statement said. 

But on Tuesday, Becker was released and spent the night at his parents' Parkersburg home before heading to the high school Wednesday morning, the division said. "Law enforcement was unaware that Becker had been released." 
Where did this happen?
Investigators believe Becker walked into the school's weight room