Who is John Beam? Famed Laney College athletic director shot

OAKLAND, Calif. - John Beam, Laney College’s athletic director and former head football coach, was fatally shot on the Oakland campus Thursday, authorities confirmed.

"I'd like to begin by taking a moment to honor the life of a man deeply beloved in this community," outgoing Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell said. "Coach John Beam, unfortunately passed away this morning from a gunshot wound that he sustained yesterday. I know that Coach Beam meant a lot to the Oakland community and beyond."

Beam was shot at the Laney Fieldhouse, located in the 900 block of Fallon Street. The fieldhouse sits behind the main campus, adjacent to the football field, and houses all of the college’s athletic facilities, including Beam’s office.

Beam's alleged killer, 27-year-old Cedric Irving, Jr., is in custody.

As police collected evidence Thursday afternoon, members of Laney’s athletic staff stood together in shock. Investigators and family members also gathered at Highland Hospital in Oakland.

A Bay Area coaching institution

What we know:

Beam’s influence on Bay Area football stretches far and wide — an institution at Laney College and a giant in the broader community.

For more than 45 years, Beam has shaped young athletes into leaders on and off the field.

He began his coaching career in San Diego but moved to the Bay Area after meeting his future wife, Cindi. The move set the stage for the career that would define him.

Skyline High success

Dig deeper:

Beam went on to win multiple championships at Skyline High School throughout the 1980s and 1990s. During his tenure at Skyline, he produced more Division I athletes than any other school in Northern California — more than 100 players in total.

But eventually, Beam looked for a new challenge.

"At one point, I was trying to chase that D1 dream. Got a couple of offers, but was it really more money or was it more work?" he told KTVU in a 2024 interview. He said coaching friends warned him that the job would keep him away from his family for months at a time.

So Beam set his sights on Laney College — and once again built a powerhouse.

Laney legacy and national spotlight

What they're saying:

At Laney, Beam’s success continued to grow. Players praised his reputation, discipline, and the program he built.

"I always heard about the legacy and I heard how good of a coach he was," wide receiver Daveonne Sanders said in 2024. "So I said, 'Being from Oakland, I might as well see what the lineage is about.' And it's lived up to the hype."

The program’s rise caught national attention.

In 2020, Netflix featured Laney College in its "Last Chance U" series, introducing Beam’s coaching style to a global audience.

Transforming lives beyond football

Maamaloa Mafi, a defensive back coach for Laney, previously told KTVU that he met Beam when he was seven years old. This was after the Coach Beam took an interest in his older brother.

"My parents were immigrants. They came out here and didn't know too much. Beam found my brother in San Lorenzo and said, ‘Hey, come and play for me, man. I could help you out,'" said Mafi."Ever since then, it was just trickling down." 

He and five of his brothers played for Beam.

"He had a good hand in helping us get recruited. Helping us with our grades and helping us get these degrees," Mafi said.

Beam kept in touch as Mafi’s oldest brother went on to play at UNLV.

Later, Beam helped Mafi himself walk on at Fresno State.

Beam's coaching philosophy

Beam often said his coaching style focused on honesty, consistency, and equipping athletes to win in life — not just in sports.

"It was always about teaching young men and young women, student-athletes, how to fit into society and do certain things like be true to your word," Beam told KTVU when he retired as head coach last year.

He added, "Sometimes, young people feel like no one believes in them. Someone has to, so it might as well be me."

Beam was then hired as athletic director for Laney College.

Between his time at Laney and Skyline, Beam produced more than 20 NFL players, including seven Super Bowl players. His former athletes have won championships across every level of football — from Division I to the Canadian Grey Cup, NFL Europe and the Arena League.

He shared his secret.

"Being consistent with them, being honest, not being afraid to tell them the truth about what they're doing or not doing" he said.

Beam said his legacy wasn't trophies.

"My legacy is going to be the young people," he said. "That's going to be my legacy. I want it to live and breathe."

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