The person accused of shooting Coach John Beam is 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr.

What happened

Coach John Beam, the longtime Laney College football coach and athletic director who was featured on Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” was shot at the Laney College athletics facility in Oakland, California, in November 2025 and died the following day from his injuries.

Authorities say Beam was found with a gunshot wound to the head at the Laney College fieldhouse late Thursday morning and was taken to a hospital, where he later passed away.

Who is the suspect?

  • Police identified the suspect as Cedric Irving (Cedric Irving Jr.) , age 27.
  • Officials have said Irving was familiar with Coach Beam but that they did not have a close relationship.
  • He was reportedly not a Laney College student but someone who had been on or around the campus previously.

Charges and legal status

  • Irving has been charged with murder in connection with Beam’s death.
  • Charging documents allege that he personally discharged the firearm that caused Beam’s fatal injuries.
  • Reports note that if convicted, he could face a sentence ranging from decades to life in prison.

How he was arrested

  • Police say they tracked a suspect using campus and city surveillance video and followed his movements across Oakland.
  • Irving was arrested at a commuter or transit station in the early morning hours the day after the shooting.
  • He was reportedly found carrying the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting, and a probable-cause statement says he admitted to the shooting.

Motive and ongoing questions

  • Officials have described the attack as “targeted,” but as of the latest reports, they have not publicly released a clear motive.
  • Police have confirmed only that Irving knew who Beam was and had some prior connection to the broader community where Beam coached, including time around local schools and teams.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public news outlets and forums available on the internet and portrayed here.