John Beam, a revered football coach at Laney College and a prominent figure featured in the Netflix series "Last Chance U," was fatally shot on campus on Thursday, November 13th. The 66-year-old athletic director succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head on Friday, November 14th.
Hours before his death was pronounced, Cedric Irving Jr., who knew Beam but did not have a close relationship with him, was identified and taken into custody as a suspect. Police described the incident as targeted, noting that Irving was on campus for a specific reason.
Beam was a highly influential figure in the Oakland community and a dedicated mentor to countless young athletes. His coaching career began in San Diego before he moved to Oakland in 1982, eventually becoming the head football coach at Skyline High School, where his teams won 15 league championships.
He later joined Laney College, serving as running backs coach and then head coach, leading the team to two league titles and the 2018 State Championship. He retired from coaching in November 2024 and was recently the college's athletic director.
Throughout his career, Beam was credited with a 90% graduation and transfer rate for his student-athletes, and he mentored twenty players who went on to play in the NFL, including Super Bowl champions. His impact was further amplified by his appearance on "Last Chance U," which chronicled the Laney football team's 2019 season and highlighted the athletes' perseverance.
Beam expressed that the series told the story of Oakland and its community in a positive light and hoped it would inspire better support for students at the community college level. Beam was deeply dedicated to the Oakland community, which he felt had given him more than he had given it, providing him with a sense of belonging and value.
He was also a devoted family man, married to Cindi, with two daughters, Monica and Sonjha, and two granddaughters. He had expressed a desire to spend his retirement coaching his granddaughters in soccer, basketball, and softball.
His death has sent shockwaves through the community, with many remembering him as a giant, a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people.
