John Beam dead at 66: Iconic coach of Last Chance U series shot in head

America has been left in shock as details emerge about the shooting death of an iconic sporting figure.

John Beam, a cult-hero football coach featured in a hit Netflix series, died after being shot in the head on Saturday (AEDT), police have confirmed.

The 66-year-old was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital in California and was described as being in a “critical condition” before he was pronounced dead.

Beam, the former head coach of Laney College in Oakland, California, became a widely loved character when featured on Netflix’s “Last Chance U” in 2020.

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The series followed Beam as he coached players that had been overlooked by college football teams as a result of personal problems, criminal records, poor grades in school and living on the street.

In a devastating twist, Beam was shot on the campus of the university he helped make famous.

The New York Post reports a 27-year-old man, Cedric Irving Jr, has been taken into custody.

Assistant police chief James Beere described it as a “very targeted incident,” and while Beam and Irving weren’t close, the pair knew each other.

Irving played at Skyline High School, where Beam coached for 22 years (including 17 as head coach), but Irving did not play for Beam, according to Beere.

The shooting occurred around noon (local time) on the Laney campus and the suspect was arrested around 3am, according to ABC7 News.

He was reportedly located at a local bus stop and was found carrying a gun.

Beere said Irving was known to “loiter” around Laney’s campus.

“The Peralta community is devastated by his shooting,” Laney chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson wrote in a message to employees, according to CNN.

“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.”

Beam joined Laney’s football coaching staff in 2004 and was promoted to head coach in 2012. Twenty of his former players have gone on to play in the NFL.

His death has rocked the local community.

“My thoughts are with Coach John Beam and his loved ones,” Oakland mayor Barbara Lee wrote in an X post.

“We are praying for him. Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people. For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.

“This is the second shooting on an Oakland campus in two days, and it is devastating. Schools should be the safest spaces in our city. We need guns off our streets now. We are standing together, praying for Coach Beam and his loved ones.”

Two of Beam’s former players — brothers Nahshon and Rejzohn Wright, now in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints — posted on social media after the shooting.

“You mean the world to me,” Rejzohn Wright said in a post with a photo of Beam.

His brother shared a photo of the coach alongside a broken heart emoji.

According to his biography on the college’s website, 20 of his players have gone on to the NFL.

Coaches from around the state have delivered emotional tributes.

American River College coach Jon Osterhout said: “He was a true beacon for the Oakland community, and a huge personality with that signature moustache.

“Absolutely terrible and saddening for his family & the community.”

As reported by KCRA, Sacramento City College coach Dannie Walker said: “Today is a truly sad day for his family, Oakland and for the entire community college football world.

“We’ve lost a real one. He was a genuine man/mentor who always wanted the best for everyone. He helped countless people find success in life and was someone I could talk to about anything.

“The last time we spoke, he was excited about retirement and proud to be spending more quality time with his family, especially his grandkids! It devastates me to know they’re now facing such a painful void.”

Sierra College coach Ben Noonan also said: “For him to be taken out like this after serving as a beacon of light in the Oakland community for as many years as he did, is truly a tragedy.

“I can’t imagine what his family is going through.”

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