Authorities in Oakland, Calif., say the fatal shooting of former Laney College head football coach and athletic director John Beam was deliberate.
Beam, 66, died a day after being shot on the Laney College campus on Thursday, Nov. 13, according to police. He had a long career shaping young athletes in Oakland, including serving as head football coach at Skyline High School before joining Laney College, where he led the program until 2024.
During a press conference, Homicide Commander Gloria Beltran announced the arrest of 27-year-old Cedric Irving in connection with the shooting. An Alameda County sheriff’s deputy reportedly detained Irving at a BART station after noticing he matched the suspect’s description. Police say the case will now be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for potential charges.
Oakland police Assistant Chief James Beere told reporters that while Irving and Beam knew each other, they did not share a personal relationship. Beere emphasized that investigators believe the attack was intentional.
“Coach Beam, although they did not have a close relationship, was open to helping everybody in our community,” Beere said, noting that it wasn’t unusual for Beam to offer support to those who needed it.
Irving, who is not a Laney College student, was known to linger on campus, according to police. Beere said Irving previously played football at Skyline High School, though not under Beam’s tenure there.
Jail records show Irving is currently being held in Alameda County on suspicion of murder.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement honoring Beam’s legacy, calling him “a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” and noting that the community is grieving deeply alongside his family.
Beam’s impact was highlighted nationally in 2020 when Laney College’s football program was featured on Last Chance U, a Netflix docuseries that follows community college athletes striving to seize their final shot at higher-level play.
