John Beam, the coach featured on Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” died Friday after a shooting on the campus of Laney College in Oakland, Calif., the day before.
Police confirmed Beam died after being shot Thursday on campus. Oakland Assistant Police Chief James Beere said the shooting was “a very targeted incident,” according to Mike Catalini and Haven Daley of the Associated Press.
Beam had been in critical condition after being shot at the Laney College Fieldhouse. Though he had retired as a football coach in 2024, he remained the school’s athletic director.
A suspect, 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr., was arrested Friday morning, according to NBC Bay Area. Irving is a former football player at Skyline High School, but did not play while Beam worked at the high school.
Beam became known for his role in the fifth season of Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” which followed the efforts of troubled college athletes as they tried to stabilize their lives. The season aired in 2020 and heavily featured Beam.
Beam went 160-33-3 while coaching Skyline High from 1987 until 2004, when he became a coach at Laney. He eventually became head coach of the football team in 2012. According to Laney College’s website, over 20 of Beam’s players at both Laney and Skyline High School went on to play in the NFL, including seven who have played in a Super Bowl. Cornerback Rezjohn Wright, who was part of the team featured on “Last Chance U,” is currently a member of the New Orleans Saints.
