On Thursday, November 13, 2025, around noon, a shooting occurred at the Laney College field house (on the campus in Oakland).
Sources told ABC7 News that the victim was John Beam, the Athletic Director at Laney. He was reportedly shot in the head. After being taken to a nearby hospital, Beam died around 10 a.m. Friday.
The campus was under lockdown initially, but it was later lifted. A 27-year-old suspect, identified as Cedric Irving Jr., was arrested early Friday morning (around 3 a.m.) at a BART station in San Leandro.
The suspect was not a Laney student but was known to loiter on campus. John Beam was a deeply respected figure in the Oakland sports community, especially in football. His coaching career began in 1979 at Serra High School in San Diego as an offensive line coach.
In 1982, he moved to Skyline High School in Oakland, initially as defensive coordinator, and by 1987 he became head coach.
At Skyline, he built a powerhouse: 15 league championships, 11 section titles, four undefeated seasons and a 160-33-3 record.
He was recognized as California State Coach of the Year in 1997. Beam joined Laney College in 2004 (first as running backs coach), then became offensive coordinator in 2005.
In 2012, he was promoted to head coach at Laney, leading the team to two league titles, a solid winning rate, and multiple bowl games.
His excellence was formally recognized: in 2018, he was named Coach of the Year by the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA).
Over his career at Skyline and Laney, he helped produce more than 20 NFL players, including seven who played in the Super Bowl.
Beyond the field, Beam was widely seen as a mentor and father figure. His coaching philosophy emphasized honesty, consistency, and “teaching student-athletes how to live, not just how to play.”
He gained national recognition when his Laney Eagles team was featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U” (2020).
Though he retired as head coach in 2024, he remained at Laney as Athletic Director.
Beam’s death has shaken the Oakland community. Many former players, colleagues, and city leaders have expressed deep grief.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee called him a “mentor, educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people.
Police continue to investigate, and given how “targeted” this appears to have been, many are demanding answers.
John Beam wasn’t just a coach he was a pillar in Oakland. His influence extended far beyond wins and losses: he believed deeply in his players, in community, and in giving young people a second chance.
His tragic death has left a void, not just in Laney College’s athletics department, but in the wider Oakland community he served for decades.
