Legendary Oakland coach John Beam, who was featured in the Netflix series "Last Chance U", has died after being shot at Laney College on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, Cedric Irving Jr., a 27-year-old man with ties to football, was taken into custody early Friday morning around 3 a.m. and is believed to have fired the fatal shot that killed Beam.
Beam, a larger-than-life personality who had coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming Laney College's sole athletic director last year, leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and granddaughters. He was 66 years old.
According to police, Irving knew Beam personally and did not have any prior issues with him, although they were not close friends. The shooting occurred at noon on Thursday in the Laney Fieldhouse on campus at East 8th Street and Fifth Avenue, just south of Lake Merritt. Authorities confirmed that Beam was shot in the head and died shortly after arrival at a local hospital.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement, saying "Gun violence has stolen the life of a man who dedicated himself to building up the young people of this city." Piedmont Police Chief Frederick Shavies called Beam an "absolutely incredible human being" whose legacy will be remembered for years to come.
The college was placed on lockdown Thursday but was later lifted. The campus was closed for the rest of the day, and security measures were increased in response to the shooting. A community is mourning the loss of a pillar who helped countless athletes turn their lives around.
Friends and former colleagues of Beam are remembering him as someone who stayed true to his values and never backed down from helping others. "He has affected more kids than anyone I know in Oakland," said Lou Richie, head basketball coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward. The district released a statement saying Beam was shot by a senior member of their athletic staff and expressing condolences to his loved ones.
Beam's legacy extends far beyond his impressive coaching record, as he has inspired countless young people to pursue their dreams. His death serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater security measures in our communities, particularly when it comes to gun violence.
The Laney College football team is still reeling from the news, with one player, Geovanni Valverde, saying Beam had a profound impact on his life and career. "He recruited all of us to play at Laney... He gave people what they don't really get - how they were raised," Valverde said.
As Oakland grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy, one thing is clear: John Beam's legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the countless young people he helped turn their lives around.
Beam, a larger-than-life personality who had coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming Laney College's sole athletic director last year, leaves behind his wife, two daughters, and granddaughters. He was 66 years old.
According to police, Irving knew Beam personally and did not have any prior issues with him, although they were not close friends. The shooting occurred at noon on Thursday in the Laney Fieldhouse on campus at East 8th Street and Fifth Avenue, just south of Lake Merritt. Authorities confirmed that Beam was shot in the head and died shortly after arrival at a local hospital.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement, saying "Gun violence has stolen the life of a man who dedicated himself to building up the young people of this city." Piedmont Police Chief Frederick Shavies called Beam an "absolutely incredible human being" whose legacy will be remembered for years to come.
The college was placed on lockdown Thursday but was later lifted. The campus was closed for the rest of the day, and security measures were increased in response to the shooting. A community is mourning the loss of a pillar who helped countless athletes turn their lives around.
Friends and former colleagues of Beam are remembering him as someone who stayed true to his values and never backed down from helping others. "He has affected more kids than anyone I know in Oakland," said Lou Richie, head basketball coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward. The district released a statement saying Beam was shot by a senior member of their athletic staff and expressing condolences to his loved ones.
Beam's legacy extends far beyond his impressive coaching record, as he has inspired countless young people to pursue their dreams. His death serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater security measures in our communities, particularly when it comes to gun violence.
The Laney College football team is still reeling from the news, with one player, Geovanni Valverde, saying Beam had a profound impact on his life and career. "He recruited all of us to play at Laney... He gave people what they don't really get - how they were raised," Valverde said.
As Oakland grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy, one thing is clear: John Beam's legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the countless young people he helped turn their lives around.
john beam was like a legend in oakland football scene for years he had this huge presence on campus and in the community, everyone loved him... i remember watching his show on netflix last year 'last chance u' and being inspired by his passion and dedication to helping young athletes turn their lives around. its crazy that something like this happened on campus tho, you feel like security just failed him or somethin'. anyway, beam was definitely more than just a coach, he was a mentor and a father figure to so many kids in oakland, his legacy is def gonna be felt for years to come 
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. Rest in peace, Coach Beam... you will be deeply missed 
I'm literally shaking thinking about what happened to Coach Beam. 40 years of coaching and he just got shot in broad daylight? It's just senseless 
. Oakland is already dealing with so much struggle and violence, and now this happens? It's like, what are we even doing wrong here 
? Can't we just keep our communities safe for everyone? 
This is just insane... a 66-year-old man gets shot in the head at his workplace and people are already talking about "greater security measures" like it's some kinda magic solution 
. What about actually addressing the root of the problem? We need to be asking ourselves why this guy knew Beam personally, but was willing to pull a gun on him anyway. Did they even do a background check on this Cedric Irving Jr.? 
The fact that he's only 27 is just sickening... and what's with the "senior member of their athletic staff" claim? Sounds like a convenient excuse to me 
. I need some actual sources before I can even begin to discuss this... 
... and what about the fact that he was shot in the head? was that just a coincidence or did someone want him dead for a reason?
can u even believe that some1 as awesome as Coach Beam got taken from us?! 
how can we even make sense of this? 
my heart goes out to his fam & the entire Laney College community 