John Beam, a football coach featured in Netflix’s "Last Chance U," has died after being shot on the campus of Laney College in Oakland. Beam, who served as the director of athletics at Laney College, was injured in an incident at the school's field house on a Thursday lunchtime and passed away on Friday.
The Oakland Police Department announced an arrest had been made, stating the shooting was a targeted incident where the suspect and Beam knew each other. Beam had a long career at Laney College, starting as a running backs coach in 2004 and becoming head coach in 2012.
He also served as athletics director since 2006 and continued to shape athletic programs after retiring from coaching in 2024. Throughout his career at both Laney College and Skyline High School, he coached numerous players who went on to the NFL and was known for mentoring his athletes.
He appeared in the fifth season of "Last Chance U" in 2020, which documented Laney's 2019 season. Oakland officials and Beam's family expressed devastation over his death.
Mayor Barbara Lee described Beam as a dedicated individual who focused on building up young people in the city and lamented the loss of a man who mentored thousands. The Peralta Community College District, which oversees Laney, stated that while it was a frightening moment, there was no longer an active threat.
The shooting occurred amidst a backdrop of rising gun violence on campuses across the US, with Beam's incident being the second on an Oakland campus in consecutive days.
