John Beam, the beloved former football coach known for giving overlooked players a chance and featured on Netflix’s Last Chance U, has died after being shot on the Laney College campus where he worked. The 66-year-old was targeted by someone police say knew him, and the suspect has been arrested. His death came just a day after the shooting, sending shockwaves through the community. Friends, students, and fans gathered in vigils outside the hospital, remembering Beam as a mentor who always went out of his way to help others.

Beam’s career spanned more than 40 years, beginning in San Diego before he settled in the Bay Area, where he became a fixture in Oakland football. At Skyline High School, he built a powerhouse program, winning 15 league titles, 11 section championships, and four undefeated seasons, while producing over 100 Division I athletes.

In 2004, Beam moved to Laney College as a running backs coach and became head coach in 2012, winning two league titles. Over his tenure, 20 of his players advanced to the NFL, and several went on to win championships across college, the NFL, and even internationally.

The shooting occurred at Laney College’s Fieldhouse, the hub of the school’s athletic facilities, where Beam had his office. Police described it as a ‘targeted incident.’ Cedric Irving Jr., 27, of Oakland, who had connections to the local football community, was taken into custody without incident, and a gun was recovered. It was the second school shooting in Oakland in just two days.

Beyond the field, Beam’s influence was recognized nationally through Netflix’s Last Chance U, which showcased his 2019 Laney College Eagles team and highlighted his ability to connect with players often overlooked by other programs. 

Former NFL players such as C.J. Anderson and Marvel Smith credit Beam with shaping their careers. His coaching style focused not only on football success but also on preparing young athletes for life, emphasizing honesty, consistency, and character development.

Beam is survived by his wife and two daughters, and his passing has left a profound void in Oakland. The community has responded with tributes, messages, and vigils, honoring a man who gave decades of his life to mentoring, teaching, and uplifting young people. 

Those unable to be there in person have been honoring him through heartfelt messages and tributes from afar.

Sports world and community pay tribute, mourning Beam’s legacy

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said, “I think yesterday there was a shooting in Skyline High School. So, you know, really difficult time for people in Oakland right now. Coach Beam was a legend, forty-year head coach, different football teams in the Bay Area… And today is a really, really sad day. Sad day for the Bay Area. Sad day for Coach Beam’s family and everybody in Oakland.”

Kerr continued, “He was a revered figure in Oakland, did so much for so many people and so I want to—on behalf of the Warriors—I just want to extend our condolences and remind everybody that we have to be the change, you know, as a community, as citizens, we have to be the ones who insist that we address the gun violence issue in this country.”

Kerr mentioned that he didn’t know Beam personally, but they shared a circle of many mutual friends.

Damian Lillard said: “Rest in peace, Coach Beam… This man is a true Oakland legend and a GREAT man.”

He went on to share how Beam had guided him, just as he had countless others. “Gave me my first job at Laney Football games. Hundreds of kids all over Oakland became the type of men they are today because of this dude, and for someone from that exact world to randomly come and take his life just ain’t right … this ain’t the Oakland I grew up in.”

NBCS’ Monte Poole shared on X: “Coach John Beam was the best of us. After all the work he put in over 4 decades, all the unpaid assistance he—and his family—provided to those in need, his murder is a massive tragedy and a colossal loss to the greater Oakland community. So irrational and so infuriating.”

The California Community Colleges Football Coaches shared on X: “For decades, Coach Beam dedicated his life to developing young talent, not just as a coach, but as a mentor, both at Laney College and Skyline High School. His impact on generations of athletes in the Bay Area and beyond is immeasurable.”

In 2004, Beam took the reins at Laney College as the running backs coach, planting the seeds of what would become a powerhouse program. By 2012, he had risen to head coach, guiding the Eagles to two league titles and capping it off with the 2018 State Championship, a season that also earned him the California Community College Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year honor.

Over the course of two decades, Beam left an indelible mark on California football, shaping young athletes and building a legacy of excellence before retiring from coaching in November 2024 and focusing his final years as Laney’s athletic director.

The football coach and former player Jamar Cain wrote: “Lost a great man today! The impact he left on Oakland will never be matched. Rest, my friend! John Beam 🕊️🕊️🕊️”