John Beam, a former Last Chance U coach, was tragically shot at Laney College in Oakland, California, on Thursday, November 13.
The 66-year-old athletic director was shot in the head on the school grounds. He died on Friday, November 14. Cedric Irving Jr. was identified as a suspect and taken into custody hours before he was pronounced dead, according to an Oakland Police Department news briefing held on Friday.
Irving knew Beam, but they “did not have a relationship,” Assistant Chief of Police James Beere said at the news conference, adding that Irving was on campus Thursday “for a specific reason.”
“This was a very targeted incident, and I will say that Coach Beam, although they did not have a close relationship, was open to helping everybody in our community,” Beere says.
Beam was an Oakland football icon who was prominently featured in the Netflix series Last Chance U.
Here’s all you need to know about John Beam, including his work and family.
Beam was a college football coach.
According to ABC 7, the San Diego native began coaching in 1979 as an offensive line coach at Serra High School in San Diego. Then, in 1982, he relocated to Oakland, California, and became the defensive coordinator at Skyline High School. Five years later, he was appointed head football coach. During his tenure, the squad won fifteen league championships.
In 2004, he became the running backs coach for the Laney College Eagles. He took over as head coach in 2012. He led the squad to two league titles, including the 2018 State Championship. The same year, he was named Coach of the Year by the California Community College Athletic Association.
He retired from coaching in November 2024 and most recently worked as the college’s athletic director.
He was a mentor for future NFL great.
According to The Oaklandside, he mentored countless student-athletes throughout his career and graduated and transferred from community college at a 90% rate.
Twenty of his past students became NFL players, with seven of them appearing in the Super Bowl. He has coached Super Bowl champion Patriots cornerback Sterling Moore, former Broncos running back C.J. Anderson, former Steelers offensive tackle Marvel Smith, and brothers Nahshon and Rezjohn Wright of the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
Following the news of Beam’s passing, several players paid respect to the late coach.
Rejzohn captioned an Instagram Story with a snapshot of himself, Nahshon, and Beam, writing “Crushed.” Nahshon also shared a photo on Instagram Stories, captioned “Will Forever Miss You Dawg.”
Beam traveled to Chicago last month to watch Nahshon and Rezjohn’s teams compete, according to The Oaklandside.
Moore also paid tribute on Instagram Stories, writing: “Rest easy, Coach! I’m forever in your debt!”
He and the Laney Team were featured in Last Chance U.
Notably, the coach and the Laney football team gained global recognition after being featured in the Netflix series Last Chance U. The docuseries follows community college athletes as they try to overcome their prior troubles.
The team was the focus of the show’s fifth and final season, which followed their 2019 season.
After the series concluded, he told ABC 7 that the experience was “unbelievable.”
“I think they did tell the story of Oakland, Laney, Skyline, myself and our whole community in a really good way,” said Beam’s coach. “But, what I hope it brings, really, is some ideals in the community and the CCCAA level that we need to support our students better.”
Beam went on, “They see the hard work that young men are ready to put in to pursue a dream. They see a city like Oakland, and I believe our team matches it.
He was committed to the Oakland community.
Following his death, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee described him as “a giant” in the community. “A mentor, an educator and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” she told me. “For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.”
Former Oakland Deputy Chief Frederick Shavies stated in a news conference on Friday that Beam “was so much more than a coach.”
“He was a father figure to thousands of not only men but young women in our community,” Shavies told me. “I know that I am not eloquent enough to put into words the indelible mark that Coach Beam has left on so many, not just in this region but around the state and around the nation.”
In his own words, Beam praised the Oakland community for giving back to him. “My devotion is to the community. “They’ve given me more than I’ve ever given them,” Beam told The Oaklandside. “They provided me a sense of belonging. They provided me with an environment in which I was valued as a human being. Oakland provided it to me, and I want to continue giving to them as much as possible.”
Beam was a caring husband, father, and grandfather. He was married to Cindi. They had two daughters, Monica and Sonjha. He was also the grandfather of two granddaughters.
He told KPIX last year that once he retired from teaching, he planned to coach his granddaughters: “I have these two grandchildren. I want to be a soccer, basketball, and softball grandfather.
