The 27-year-old man charged with killing Laney College’s storied athletic director John Beam was enrolled as a student at Laney in 2022 and took at least one course under Beam, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The existence of, and details about Cedric Irving Jr.’s academic history at Laney, which have not been previously reported, suggests a degree of familiarity between Beam and his alleged shooter. It’s not clear whether Beam ever coached Irving, who played football at Skyline High School.
Neither law-enforcement nor school officials have said whether Irving was ever enrolled at the Oakland community college, though police have said he was not a student at the time of the shooting.
Officials with the Peralta Community College District, the parent organization of Laney, did not respond to multiple requests for comment since Friday. At a Friday press conference, when asked specifically whether Irving had ever been a student at Laney, Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere responded, “not that I know of.”
A spokesperson for Oakland police on Tuesday referred questions for this story back to school Laney officials.
According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss information about Irving’s time at Laney, said Irving took a “Fundamentals of Football” course under Beam in 2022. He may have also taken another course on kinesiology under Beam, who retired as Laney’s football coach in 2024 but remained at the community college as athletic director, the source said. The person was granted anonymity in accordance with the Chronicle’s policies.
Beam also coached football at Skyline High School, but left his position there in 2003, long before Irving played for the team.
Beam, 66, was shot in the head Thursday while at the Laney fieldhouse, and was pronounced dead the following morning.
The shooting touched off a widespread manhunt overnight throughout the Bay Area, aided in large part by surveillance footage. Irving was taken into custody after being spotted at a bus stop near the San Leandro BART station.
Cedric Irving Jr., charged with murder in the shooting of Laney College coach and athletic director John Beam, makes a court appearance Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Oakland. (Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle)
Police said Irving admitted that he was carrying a gun when he was placed under arrest. During his interview with Oakland police, Irving stated that the gun found in his bag belonged to him, and that he shot Beam with it, according to a probable cause statement filed by law enforcement officials.
Sources told the Chronicle that Irving had for some reason developed a fixation on Beam, and that he told police he believed that the coach had been using witchcraft on him, Irving, and others.
Irving had his initial appearance in court Tuesday, where he was ordered to be held without bail. He is being represented by the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office and had not entered a plea as of Tuesday.
Public Defender Brendon Woods said the “witchcraft” comment suggested “serious mental health problems may play a significant role in this case.”
“The death of Coach Beam is incredibly sad, and the community is mourning his loss,” Woods said in a statement. “We’re still waiting to receive the bulk of the evidence and getting to know our client.”
This article originally published at Source: Slain Oakland coach John Beam taught his suspected killer at Laney College in 2022.