The Australian sporting community is mourning the tragic death of John Beam, the celebrated football coach featured in Netflix's 'Last Chance U' documentary series, who was fatally shot on the campus where he dedicated his life to helping young athletes.
Targeted Attack on College Campus
John Beam, 66, was shot on Thursday before noon at Laney College in Oakland, where he had served as athletic director. Police officers arrived to find the coach suffering from gunshot wounds, and he tragically passed away the following day in hospital.
Oakland Assistant Chief James Beere confirmed this was a "very targeted incident" and that the suspect had come to campus for a "specific reason." The 27-year-old suspect, identified as Cedric Irving Jr., was known to loiter around the Laney campus and had previously played football at a high school where Beam had worked, though not during the coach's tenure there.
Swift Arrest Through Surveillance Technology
Authorities credited modern surveillance technology for the rapid apprehension of the suspect. Cedric Irving Jr. was arrested without incident at a commuter rail station in Oakland just after 3am on Friday, with police recovering the weapon used in the shooting.
Irving is currently being held at a local jail on charges of murder and carrying a concealed weapon. According to Alameda County's inmate locator, he is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday morning. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation who can speak on his behalf.
Community Mourns a 'Giant' Mentor
The shocking incident has deeply rattled the Oakland community, with scores of people holding a vigil outside the hospital before Beam's passing. He was universally remembered as someone who would help anyone in need.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee described Beam as a "giant" in the city who mentored thousands of young people, including her own nephew. "For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field," Lee said, noting that Beam "gave Oakland's youth their best chance" at success.
Piedmont Police Chief Fred Shavies, who previously served as a deputy chief in the Oakland Police Department, shared a personal connection to the coach. "John was so much more than a coach," Shavies said. "He was a father figure to thousands of not only men but young women in our community."
Shavies revealed he met Beam when he was in eighth grade and that the coach supported him after he lost his father in high school, calling him "an absolutely incredible human being."
Legacy Beyond Football
Beam's impact extended far beyond the football field through his appearance in the Netflix docuseries 'Last Chance U,' which focused on athletes at junior colleges striving to turn their lives around. Beam's Laney College Eagles starred in the 2020 season of the popular series.
According to his biography on the college's website, at least 20 of his players went on to the NFL. Beam developed deep relationships with his players while fielding a team that regularly competed for championships.
Two of Beam's former players - brothers Nahshon and Rejzohn Wright, now in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints - expressed their grief on social media. "You mean the world to me," Rejzohn Wright said in a post accompanied by a photo of Beam.
Tributes also poured in from outside football circles, with NBA legend Stephen Curry and his coach Steve Kerr among those honouring Beam's memory.
Beam's family released a statement describing him as a "loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor and friend." They expressed that their "hearts are full from the outpouring of love" and requested privacy during this difficult time.
Beam joined Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach and became head coach in 2012, winning two league titles during his tenure. He retired from coaching in 2024 but remained at the school to continue shaping its athletic programs, leaving behind an indelible legacy of compassion and dedication to youth development.
