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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Longtime Laney College athletic director John Beam, a revered football coach who mentored generations of Oakland youth, died Friday after being shot on the community college campus, authorities said, prompting an outpouring of grief from athletes, leaders and residents shaken by the city's rising campus violence.
Beam, 66, succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital around 10 a.m., a day after the targeted attack that rattled the East Bay institution. The shooting occurred shortly before noon Thursday inside the Laney Fieldhouse, where Beam was working. Oakland police responded quickly to reports of gunfire, finding Beam suffering from a head wound. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he underwent emergency treatment but never regained stability.
The incident unfolded amid heightened security concerns at Laney, coming just one day after a student was wounded in a shooting at nearby Skyline High School, where Beam had coached for nearly two decades. On Thursday, a group of Skyline students visiting Laney for an event were forced into a second straight day of lockdown as officers secured the scene. The gunman fled on foot, sparking an overnight manhunt involving local and county law enforcement.
Early Friday, Alameda County sheriff's deputies arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr. at the San Leandro BART station, about 10 miles from the campus. Irving, a Skyline High alumnus who briefly attended Laney but never played football under Beam, was found in possession of a handgun matching the caliber of shell casings recovered at the scene. Police described the attack as deliberate, noting the suspect knew Beam casually but had no close ties. Authorities have not disclosed a motive, though investigators suggested Beam's reputation for aiding those in need may have played a role. Irving faces murder charges as the case advances to prosecutors.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos and fear. "It was like a nightmare repeating itself," said one Skyline student who sheltered in place during the lockdown, recounting how alarms blared and officers swept the buildings. Another Laney staffer, speaking anonymously, recalled hearing "pop-pop-pop" echoes from the fieldhouse before seeing Beam collapse. No other injuries were reported, but the shooting briefly halted classes and athletic activities.
The community response was swift and heartfelt. Hundreds gathered Thursday night outside the hospital for a candlelit vigil, chanting Beam's name and sharing stories of his impact. "He was our rock, the one who pulled kids from the streets and into classrooms," said Piedmont Police Chief Frederick Shavies, a longtime mentee who read a family statement expressing devastation yet gratitude for the support. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, a Bay Area native, opened his postgame remarks Friday by honoring Beam as a "true legend who built futures."
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee called Beam "a giant" who shaped over 2,500 players across 45 years, sending more than 30 to the NFL, including Super Bowl winners. "He gave our youth their best chance," she said, vowing to address the "heavy" toll of recent campus gun violence. Peralta Community College District leaders echoed the sentiment, praising Beam's role in the 2018 state football championship and his portrayal as a father figure in Netflix's "Last Chance U" series. Makeshift memorials sprouted at Laney by midday Friday, adorned with footballs, photos and notes reading, "Coach, you never stopped fighting."
Beam's death leaves a void in a city grappling with gun violence, but his legacy of resilience endures, inspiring calls for better campus safety and youth programs.
RECAP
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John Beam was the longtime football coach and athletic director at Laney College in Oakland.
Source: https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/john-beam-netflix-last-chance-u-shot-oakland-laney-college/ -
He appeared in Netflix’s “Last Chance U.”
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/laney-college-shooting-fieldhouse-oakland-campus-lockdown/ -
Beam previously coached at Skyline High School for many years before Laney.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/laney-college-shooting-fieldhouse-oakland-campus-lockdown/ -
The shooting occurred on Thursday, November 13, 2025, inside the Laney College fieldhouse.
Source: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/oakland-laney-college-shooting/3980821/ -
Police found Beam with a gunshot wound and rushed him to a hospital.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/laney-college-shooting-fieldhouse-oakland-campus-lockdown/ -
Beam died the following morning around 10 a.m.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2025-11-14/john-beam-shot-laney-college-athletic-director-football-suspect-arrested -
Police arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr. early Friday near the San Leandro BART station.
Source: https://oaklandnorth.net/2025/11/14/oakland-police-make-arrest-in-targeted-killing-of-laney-coach-john-beam/ -
Police described the shooting as a targeted attack.
Source: https://oaklandnorth.net/2025/11/14/oakland-police-make-arrest-in-targeted-killing-of-laney-coach-john-beam/ -
Beam and the suspect knew each other but did not have a personal relationship.
Source: https://oaklandnorth.net/2025/11/14/oakland-police-make-arrest-in-targeted-killing-of-laney-coach-john-beam/ -
The suspect had played football at Skyline High School but not under Beam.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2025-11-14/john-beam-shot-laney-college-athletic-director-football-suspect-arrested -
Police recovered a gun from the suspect that matched shell casings at the scene.
Source: https://oaklandnorth.net/2025/11/14/oakland-police-make-arrest-in-targeted-killing-of-laney-coach-john-beam/ -
Community reaction included vigils and widespread public mourning.
Source: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/john-beam-dies-laney-college-shooting/3981362/ -
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised Beam as a major figure who shaped generations of athletes.
Source: https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/46967255/last-chance-u-coach-john-beam-dies-being-shot-police-say -
Steph Curry honored Beam in his postgame remarks, calling him a legend.
Source: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/john-beam-dies-laney-college-shooting/3981362/ -
Beam mentored many athletes who went on to play at four-year universities and the NFL.
Source: https://www.si.com/college-football/john-beam-last-chance-u-coach-laney-college-dies -
Laney College won the 2018 state/community college football championship under Beam.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2025-11-14/john-beam-shot-laney-college-athletic-director-football-suspect-arrested -
Beam retired as head coach in 2024 but continued working at Laney in a leadership role.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/laney-college-shooting-fieldhouse-oakland-campus-lockdown/
Sources
US coach featured on Netflix series dies after on-campus shooting BBC
‘Last Chance U’ football coach John Beam has died after being shot on campus AP News
Coach John Beam dies after being shot at Laney College: Police ABC News
John Beam, revered Oakland coach, dies after Laney college shooting San Francisco Chronicle
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