Veteran Oakland coach John Beam, nationally recognized from Netflix’s Last Chance U, died after being shot at Laney College this week, authorities confirmed Friday.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced Coach Beam’s death at a news conference on Friday. The announcement followed a Thursday shooting at Laney College’s fieldhouse, where Beam was shot. A suspect was taken into custody after what police described as a targeted incident.
The college’s athletic director at the time of the shooting, Beam, had stepped down as head football coach last year but remained a guiding force at the institution. He had joined Laney in 2004, became head coach in 2012, and transitioned into the athletic director role after his coaching tenure.
Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson of Peralta Community College District called the shooting a heartbreaking shock. She said, “We are stunned and heartbroken that such violence has touched our campus and one of the most respected and beloved members of our Laney, Peralta, and Oakland community.”
Mayor Barbara Lee called Beam “a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator and a lifeline for thousands of young people.” She said, “For over 40 years, he shaped leaders on and off the field. Our community is shaken alongside his family.”
Beam’s impact on young athletes and his community reach were widely recognized. In his coaching career, he guided numerous players to success and leveraged his role to build trust and opportunities in neighborhoods that were too often overlooked. The Netflix series Last Chance U — which followed the Laney Eagles — brought his work into the national spotlight.
The shooting at Laney’s fieldhouse prompted a campus lockdown and a surge of concern among students, faculty, and alumni. The incident occurred just a day after another shooting at nearby Skyline High School, making it the second campus shooting in Oakland in two days.
Investigators say the suspect had a prior connection to Beam’s former high-school program — he was a former player at Skyline High, although not coached by Beam. That link has raised questions about motive and how the incident unfolded.
Beyond his coaching statistics, Beam’s legacy lies in his mentorship of youth across Oakland — offering structure, coaching, and hope to those seeking a second chance. His passing leaves a void in both the athletic world and the community he served so steadfastly. Schools, districts, and local leaders must now contend not just with the loss of a father-figure but with the deeper implications of campus safety and gun violence in educational settings.
In considering Beam’s memory, one is reminded of an idea often attributed to him: that sports can serve not only as a form of competition but also as a preparation for life off the field, fostering discipline, accountability, and self-worth. His work was not simply about wins, but about changing trajectories. As Oakland grapples with this loss, it also faces a call to action: to honor Coach Beam’s life by protecting the spaces where leaders of tomorrow are shaped.
