( 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 . '' Cedar Falls police earlier said in a statement that they responded June 20 to a report of a man breaking several windows in a Cedar Falls home with a baseball bat and driving his car through a garage door . Just before officers arrived , the man fled the scene in his car and was seen leaving the area . Becker was arrested after a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 80 mph , Cedar Falls police said . He was taken into custody by Butler County authorities and later taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation , according to the statement . `` Cedar Falls police was awaiting notification that the subject was to be released from custody in order to arrest Becker and file the charges relevant to the Cedar Falls incident , '' according to the police statement . He faces felony charges of criminal mischief and eluding authorities , along with traffic offenses , in the Saturday incident , Cedar Falls police said . Winker would not provide further details about why Becker was transported to the hospital . A 911 call was received at 7:47 a.m. Wednesday regarding the high school shooting , the Division of Criminal Investigation said . Becker was located in the driveway of his parents ' home , where he was arrested without incident . Coincidentally , Becker had been released from the same hospital where his alleged victim died -- Covenant Hospital in Waterloo , Iowa . Thomas had been with the school district since 1975 and was a regionally well-known coach , according to district Superintendent Jon Thompson . The coach 's son , Aaron Thomas , spoke briefly to reporters Wednesday , saying that his father would want to be remembered not only as a coach , teacher and father , but also for his involvement in his church , calling him `` a man of deep faith who touched many lives . '' `` God always has a reason , '' he said . `` At this time , it 's very tough for us to understand that . '' He thanked the community for an outpouring of support , recalling residents ' struggle to rebuild after a deadly tornado struck the Parkersburg area last year . But he also reminded residents to have concern and compassion for Becker 's family . `` We ask that people pray for them as well , and that people take time to comfort and be with them , '' he said . `` I know that my father 's legacy ... will live on , '' Aaron Thomas said . `` Without a doubt , we 're going to miss him . We will have many great memories to share and to think back upon . We were lucky to have the father we had ... I feel very fortunate to be the son of Ed Thomas . '' No students were injured or threatened in Wednesday 's incident , authorities said . The school was placed on lockdown immediately . Crisis counselors were on the scene to assist students who witnessed the shooting , Thompson said . A vigil was planned in Thomas ' honor Wednesday night . CNN 's Kara Devlin contributed to this report .
NEW : Mark Becker , who faces murder charges , had `` recent contact '' with police . NEW : Police say they were n't notified suspect was released from hospital . TL;DR A man accused of killing a New York City woman in her apartment last week has been charged with murder. Coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot inside a school .