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Laney College Coach John Beam, 66, Dies After Campus Shooting With Suspect Detained

Police say the detained suspect did not go to campus intending to shoot Beam.

Coach John Beam, center, and Skyline High School football players Harrison Smith (2), Davis Young (32) (hidden) and Terry Johnson (28) celebrate after beating Fremont High School 27-18 during the Silver Bowl in 2000.
John Beam, Laney College athletic director and former head football coach, watches from the sidelines during the third quarter of a North Coast Section Division 3-AA high school football championship between Amador Valley and McClymonds in December 2024, at McClymonds High School in Oakland.
Coach John Beam, shown in 2000 during a football practice at Skyline High School in Oakland, was shot and killed this week by a former Skyline football player.
Coach John Beam, center bottom, and the Skyline High School football team pose together after beating Oakland High School 19-0 for a championship in 1989.

Overview

  • Beam was pronounced dead Friday morning at Highland Hospital after being shot on the Laney College campus Thursday.
  • Authorities have a suspect in custody identified as Cedric Irving Jr., a former Skyline High player, as the investigation continues.
  • Oakland police have stated the suspect did not arrive on campus with the intent to shoot Beam.
  • Tributes have come from across sports, including Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr.
  • The killing followed a separate shooting at Skyline High the previous day, and Beam had recently voiced concerns about reduced security on campus.