OAKLAND, Calif. (Diya TV) — Authorities have charged a 27-year-old man with murder in the shooting death of John Beam, the beloved former Laney College football coach who rose to national fame on the Netflix series Last Chance U. Beam died Friday, one day after he was shot in the head on the Oakland campus where he worked and mentored students for decades.
Alameda County prosecutors announced Monday that Cedric Irving faces one count of murder. District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said Irving could receive 50 years to life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors also filed enhancement charges, saying Irving fired the gun that caused great bodily injury and that Beam was particularly vulnerable, possibly due to age.
Jones Dickson said Irving had no prior criminal record. Authorities are holding him without bail. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday for arraignment. The Alameda County Public Defender’s Office said it has not been appointed to represent him and declined to comment.
Beam, 66, spent decades shaping young athletes and helping them find stability off the field. He served as head coach at Laney College from 2012 until his retirement last year, leading the Eagles to two league titles. At least 20 of his former players reached the NFL, according to the school’s website.
He became widely known in 2020 when Last Chance U featured Laney College. The series showed his leadership style and his deep commitment to helping players grow. Many in Oakland saw him as a father figure who guided young people through tough moments.
“He really is the best of Oakland — was the best of Oakland,” Jones Dickson said. “His spirit is still here.”
Beam’s death came during a violent week for Oakland, a city of about 400,000 across the bay from San Francisco. One day before the shooting at Laney College, a student at Skyline High School was shot and injured. Two juveniles are now in custody in that case.
Jones Dickson said Skyline students were on a field trip at Laney when Beam was shot. Many experienced two lockdowns in two days. She urged the community to confront the rise in gun violence and the easy access to firearms.
“That’s unacceptable that we have children in our community who now know this is the norm,” she said. “Two days in a row that they’re locked down for gun violence on a campus. I’m not good with that.”
Oakland police responded to Laney College just before noon Thursday. Officers found Beam inside the athletics field house. Medical teams took him to a hospital, but he died Friday from his injuries.
Police arrested Irving early Friday morning at a commuter rail station. According to a probable cause document, he carried the firearm used in the shooting and admitted to the attack. Assistant Chief James Beere said the suspect came to the campus for a “specific reason,” but he did not give details. “This was a very targeted incident,” he said.
Authorities have not explained the connection between the two men. Irving’s brother told the San Francisco Chronicle that Irving recently lost his job as a security guard after an altercation. He also said Irving was facing eviction. Beam joined Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach and stepped into the head coaching role in 2012. Before his time at Laney, he led Skyline High School’s football program. Irving later played at Skyline, but after Beam had left for another position.
Beam’s impact stretched far beyond football. Former players often credited him with helping them find purpose, stability, and confidence. His work with young athletes made him one of Oakland’s most respected leaders. Community members, students, and former players are now mourning a man who stood as a symbol of hope. His death leaves a deep void at Laney College and across Oakland.