John Beam, a longtime football coach who dedicated his life to helping youth through sports and starred in Netflix’s Last Chance U, has died.
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Beam, who also served as Laney College’s athletic director, passed away Friday, one day after being shot on the Oakland, California, campus, police announced.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell confirmed at a Friday news conference that Beam had died that morning.
Rest in peace to California legend John Beam. He was a pillar of the Bay Area and coach for more than 45 years.
— Nico (@USC_Nico) November 14, 2025
He was senselessly gunned down in his office. Horrific act of violence. pic.twitter.com/3xQhLJ7BkG
“We are devastated that John Beam, our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor, and friend, has passed,” the beloved coach’s family said in a statement that was read at the briefing, per CBS News.
Beam was 66.
Suspect Arrested After Campus Shooting
Gunfire erupted on the Laney College campus on Thursday. While details about the shooting were not initially disclosed, local reports confirmed that Beam was injured and transported to a nearby hospital.
Police later announced an arrest in connection with the shooting, identifying the suspect as 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr.
Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies located Irving at the San Leandro BART station around 3:15 a.m. on Friday, police said. Assistant Police Chief James Beere confirmed at a press conference that a weapon was recovered. They added that the suspect knew Beam but did not have a relationship with him.
“This was a very targeted incident,” Beere told reporters. “And I will say that Coach Beam, although they did not have a close relationship, was open to helping everybody in our community. And this is not uncommon for him to have a relationship with someone that he would think needs help. I can just tell you that the individual that was arrested went to the campus for a specific reason.”
Beere said the suspect was known to loiter around the campus, and investigators are still determining a motive. He added that the suspect previously played high school football in Oakland, but not for a team coached by Beam.
“He played football at Skyline High School, but not for coach Beam,” Beere detailed. “To the best of our knowledge, he was never a Laney student and did not work there.”
Coach John Beam Fostered Generations of Young Football Players On and Off the Field
Beam, the former head football coach for the Laney College Eagles, gained national recognition in the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U. The fifth season, which followed the Eagles in 2019, showcased Beam’s lasting influence on generations of young football players, both on and off the field.
His program at Laney was also notable for having over 90% of its players graduate or transfer to four-year schools.
Beam previously coached football at Oakland’s Skyline High School, winning 15 league championships and achieving four undefeated seasons.
Over decades of coaching, Beam has mentored around 2,500 players. This includes NFL stars like Super Bowl champions and Pro Bowlers C.J. Anderson and Marvel Smith.
Anderson shared a heartfelt message on social media, writing on X, “I love you, Beamer. Thank you, Brother.”
Anderson later shared a video montage highlighting Beamer’s energetic and charismatic coaching style.
No one Better!!!! The Beamer https://t.co/Neitzp2j6j
— Cj Anderson (@cjandersonb22) November 15, 2025
Brothers Nahshon and Rejzhon Wright, players for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, respectively, also shared their tributes to Beam on social media Friday.
“You mean the world to me,” Rejzhon Wright wrote on Instagram, followed by a broken-heart emoji.
Meanwhile, Nahshon Wright posted a photo on X with Beam and the message, “Forever miss you.”