Coach John Beam, beloved staple of Oakland sports, dies from gunshot wound

OAKLAND — John Beam, the legendary football coach who shaped multiple generations of student athletes, anchoring Oakland’s sports community and becoming a respected leader at Laney College, has died from a gunshot wound in a shooting at the school’s campus, police said Friday.

“We are devastated that John Beam, our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach mentor and friend has passed,” his family said in a statement. “Our hearts are full from the outpouring of support … we are deeply grateful for your continued prayers well wishes and thoughts.”

Beam was 66. He had been hospitalized since Thursday after a gunman entered a campus facility and shot the college’s longtime athletics director in the head, sources with direct knowledge said. A suspect arrested early Friday morning was identified by sources as Cedric Irving, Jr., a 27-year-old Oakland resident.

It was a shocking loss for athletes, coaches and Oakland residents who had come to rely on the wisdom and dedication of a man known around town simply as Coach Beam.

His gruff demeanor, bushy mustache and deadpan honesty made Beam a recognizable character in Oakland’s rich tapestry of sports figures. And those who knew Beam closely remembered most his personal efforts to help countless young athletes onto a better life path.

Beam coached Skyline High School’s football team for 22 years, winning numerous league championships before leaving in 2004 to helm the program at Laney.

“Football is about family,” he said in an early scene in the Netflix series Last Chance U, which documented the Laney Eagles’ 2019 season, following their victory in the California Community College Athletic Association championship a year prior.

He retired from coaching last year to focus on his role as athletics director, saying in an interview at the time, “It’s been a good run, brother.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Shomik Mukherjee is a reporter covering Oakland. Call or text him at 510-905-5495 or email him at shomik@bayareanewsgroup.com.