Laney College football coach John Beam, best known from the Netflix series Last Chance U, has died after being shot on campus, Oakland police confirmed Friday.
According to The Associated Press, a suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Beam, who succumbed to his injuries a day after the shooting, was remembered by the community for his decades of mentorship and dedication to young athletes. Scores of people held a vigil outside the hospital, celebrating his life and legacy.
Oakland Assistant Chief James Beere said the shooting was “very targeted” and that the suspect and Beam knew each other. “The suspect went on campus for a specific reason,” Beere said, declining to provide further details. Authorities also recovered a gun, and charges were pending.
“This was a very targeted incident,” Beere said, noting that while the coach and suspect were not close, Beam “was open to helping everybody in our community.” The suspect had been known to loiter around Laney College and had played football at a high school where Beam had previously coached, though not at the same time.
Beam, who joined Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach and became head coach in 2012, also served as the school’s athletic director. Under his leadership, the Eagles won two league titles, and 20 of his players went on to play in the NFL. The 2020 season of Last Chance U highlighted Beam’s efforts to give opportunities to overlooked athletes and the close bonds he formed with his team.
Mayor Barbara Lee called Beam a “giant” and a “lifeline for young people,” while Piedmont Police Chief Fred Shavies, who considered Beam a mentor, said, “John was so much more than a coach. He was a father figure to thousands of not only men but young women in our community.”
Beam’s family described him as a “loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor and friend” and asked for privacy amid the outpouring of grief. Former players, including NFL brothers Nahshon and Rejzohn Wright, shared heartfelt tributes on social media, with Rejzohn posting, “You mean the world to me.”
The shooting comes a day after a student was shot at Oakland’s Skyline High School, highlighting a troubling rise in local school-related gun violence. Authorities credited surveillance from campus cameras, nearby residences, and public transit for helping them apprehend the suspect without incident.
Beam’s death has left Laney College and the broader Oakland community mourning the loss of a beloved coach whose impact extended far beyond the football field.
