Oakland Gunman Kills 'Last Chance U' Coach John Beam on Laney College Campus

A shooting at Laney College's field house in Oakland on Thursday left longtime coach and athletic director John Beam fatally wounded.

“Sources tell ABC7 News that Laney College Athletic Director John Beam was shot Thursday afternoon on the Oakland campus; his condition is currently unknown”

ABC7 San Francisco

The attack shocked the college community and drew immediate police and public attention.

ABC7 San Francisco

Local outlets reported the incident happened near the campus fieldhouse and prompted a temporary lockdown while officers and medics responded.

Beam was taken to a nearby hospital and, according to multiple reports, died after the attack.

Authorities and the college initially withheld many details as investigators worked the scene.

Outlets alternately described Beam's condition as "critical," "unknown," and later reported his death as information emerged.

Beam was a fixture in Oakland's football landscape for decades.

He began coaching in 1979, built an acclaimed high-school program at Skyline, and later joined Laney College in 2004.

ABC7 San Francisco

He became Laney's head coach in 2012 and served as athletic director after retiring from coaching in 2024.

He received wide praise for mentoring young people.

His teams and players were featured on Season 5 of Netflix's Last Chance U.

Coverage emphasizes his on-field success with league and state titles and his off-field work helping hundreds of players reach Division I programs and dozens reach the NFL, though outlets differ on the exact tallies.

Reporting diverged on the suspect and law-enforcement response.

“College football coach John Beam, known for his role in theNetflixseriesLast Chance U, has tragically died after being shot on the campus ofLaney Collegein Oakland”

American Football International

The Associated Press later named an arrested suspect, Cedric Irving, and said investigators described the shooting as a targeted incident, with a suspect who 'went onto campus for a specific reason.'

Earlier accounts and some outlets described an active manhunt and a suspect at large, with police initially asking the public to help identify a male in dark clothing and a black hoodie.

A few reports emphasized that no arrests had been announced at the time they published.

Beam’s death reverberated through Oakland.

Elected leaders, former players and community members mourned and used the episode to highlight persistent gun‑violence concerns.

Associated Press

Mayor Barbara Lee called the events "devastating" or "incredibly heavy" in different reports and praised Beam’s decades of mentorship.

Former players and the family publicly honored his role as a coach and mentor and called for action to curb violence after the shooting.

The shooting came a day after a student was wounded at Skyline High School.

Coverage quality and completeness varied: some outlets initially withheld the victim's name or said they lacked full reporting details, while others published fuller profiles or later updates.

“John Beam, a legendary former Laney College head football coach who recently became the school's athletic director and appeared in Netflix's Last Chance U (Season 5), was shot on campus Thursday afternoon”

Awful Announcing

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Awful Announcing

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