Cedric Irving Jr., 27, is facing charges for killing Laney College football coach John Beam. Police arrested Irving at a train station on Friday and found the gun tied to the crime. Reports say he confessed to the act.
Beam, 66, was shot on Thursday at the college's football field. The authorities have no record of Irving being involved in criminal activities before. Police called this a targeted incident, noting that Beam and Irving knew each other but weren't close.
Alameda County DA Ursula Jones Dickson told Sports Yahoo, "He really is the best of Oakland — was the best of Oakland. His spirit is still here." Beam gained widespread recognition from the final season of Netflix’s “Last Chance U.”
Irving is held in jail without bail and will formally face charges next Tuesday. If convicted, he could be sentenced to 50 years to life, with more penalties for using a gun, causing severe harm, and targeting a potentially vulnerable person due to age.
Beam began coaching in 1979 at Serra High School. He joined Laney in 2004 and became head coach in 2012, stepping down in 2024 but continuing as athletic director. In 2018, Beam led Laney to a state title and won the title of California Community College Coach of the Year.
Beam’s impact was felt far beyond football. He helped over 200 student-athletes move on to Division I schools and guided more than 30 future NFL players. His leadership resulted in a 90% graduation and transfer rate for players.
Oakland grieves his loss, with tributes pouring in from former players and sports figures. Nahshon Wright, an NFL player and a former mentee, shared, “He meant the world to me. When my dad was killed, he came to my house and got me out the bed. [He was] someone I could confide in, someone that I just, I love dearly. We talked once a week, easily. Really at a loss for words.”
Nahshon's brother, Rejzohn, and NBA star Damian Lillard, who got his first job thanks to Beam, also expressed their sorrow. Golden State Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, commented, “Today’s a really, really sad day. Sad day for the Bay Area, sad day for Coach Beam’s family and everybody in Oakland. He was a revered figure in Oakland, did so much for so many people. [...] remind everybody we have to be the change, as a community, as citizens, we have to be the ones who insist that we address gun violence issues.”
Mayor Barbara Lee said, "For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family."
Beam was inducted into the Bay Area Multi-Ethnic Hall of Fame in 2015. He remains the only coach in California history to have won both high school and junior college Coach of the Year honors, leaving behind a legacy rich in mentorship and accomplishment.
