The fatal shooting of former “Last Chance U” coach John Beam on the campus of Laney College in Oakland continues to become more bizarre as details emerge. Cedric Irving, who is charged with murdering Brown, reportedly told police that he believed Beam used witchcraft on him.
Shooter Of ‘Last Chance U’ Coach John Beam Says Coach Used Witchcraft On Him
Police said the shooting was “targeted” and Beam, who was known as a coach who helped people and went the extra mile, was considered a “father figure” to many of the troubled young men trying to navigate Oakland’s inner-city, fighting to make something more of their lives.
Beam was the lauded football coach at Laney until his retirement in 2024. At the time of his death, he was the school’s athletic director.
Cedric Irving Jr. Charged With Murder Of John Beam
Law enforcement sources cite that Irving was “fixated” on the football coach long before he plotted to unalive him. Alameda County prosecutors on Monday charged Irving Jr., 27, with murder and a gun enhancement. They say in charging documents that he confessed to the crime after officers apprehended him Friday with a handgun in a bag. If convicted on all charges, Irving will face a possible prison sentence of 50 years to life. He was arraigned Tuesday morning and ordered to remain in custody without bail.
“On behalf of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and my personal family, I wish to express our deepest condolences to Coach John Beam’s family,” District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said. “Coach Beam represents the best of Oakland. Just as Coach Beam’s love for the community has been felt for decades, so will his loss.”
While she declined to provide details about Irving’s mental state when she addressed reporters at Rene C. Davidson Courthouse on Monday afternoon, she did express a shocking grief over the enormity of the slaying, the second of two shootings on Oakland school campuses last week.
Who Was John Beam?
Beam, 66, who retired from coaching last year while staying on as athletic director, was hero in the community. He was shot in the head just before noon on Thursday inside the Laney College field house, in what police described as a targeted attack. Police said Irving fled on an AC Transit bus heading from downtown Oakland toward Eastmont Mall, near the area where Irving was apparently living on the streets.
Beam’s team at Laney was featured on the 2020 season of the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U”. Around Oakland, Beam was known as a mentor, with many city officials praising his legacy in the community.
Former Players Now In NFL Emotional about John Beam Shooting
One of his former players, now in the NFL, gave a special tribute to Beam on Sunday.
Bears CB Nahshon Wright was extremely emotional after picking off Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy. Wright went to one knee and released his pain in the endzone.
“Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland – a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement. “For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.”
Police said Beam died a day after he was shot in the head on Thursday, Nov. 13.
“This was a very targeted incident,” Oakland Police Assistant Chief James Beere claimed. “I will say Coach Beam, although they did not have a close relationship, was open to helping everybody in our community and this is not uncommon for him to have a relationship with someone that he would think needs help.”
Football Fans React To Shooting Of Coach John Beam
Fans were outraged at what is being called another “senseless shooting” in the city of Oakland. Others refuse to believe that Irving acted out of pure hate and there’s more to the story.
“Nothing tragic, totally preventable w/appropriate on-campus security & strict loitering enforcement. Laney College allowed Oakland’s culture to kill Jim Beam!,” said one fan.
“My hope is that his death is the wake up call that turns Oakland around and makes it a great city. He had way too big of an impact for his death to be in vain,” said another
“There has to be more to this story,” said a third fan, refusing to believe that someone would want to take out such a valued member of the community.
People will have their opinions on why this incident occurred. There’s reportedly “sensitive” information that is understandably not benign released at this time.
