Coach from Laney College shot on campus, suspect charged with murder

Alameda County prosecutors on November 17 charged 27 year old Cedric Irving Jr. with murder in the shooting death of John Beam, a longtime coach and recent athletic director at Laney College in Oakland. Beam was shot on campus and died the following day, and police took Irving into custody with the firearm. Investigators said Irving admitted the shooting in a probable cause statement.

Prosecutors have described the attack as targeted, but they have not publicly detailed the relationship between the suspect and the victim. The murder charge carries a potential sentence of 50 years to life with enhancements for personally firing a gun and for the victim being vulnerable, according to prosecutorial filings. Those enhancements substantially raise the stakes for defense strategies and for how the case will be handled in court.

Beam was a familiar face in the Bay Area sports community and to a broader audience after appearing in the Netflix series Last Chance U. His role as mentor to student athletes and his position at Laney made the killing resonate beyond campus, prompting an outpouring of grief and questions about safety at community colleges. Local student athletes, alumni, and staff have expressed shock at the loss of a coach known for guiding young people through both athletic and personal challenges.

For true crime enthusiasts and community watchers, this case will be notable for the combination of an on campus shooting, an early admission in a probable cause statement, and the use of sentencing enhancements tied to firearm use and victim vulnerability. The presence of an admission at the time of arrest will factor into pretrial motions and discovery, while the targeted nature of the attack will shape investigative priorities. Observers will want to follow how prosecutors establish motive and whether additional charges or witnesses emerge as the case moves forward.

The incident also raises immediate questions for Laney College and other community institutions about security measures and support for students and staff after a public figure is killed. The convergence of a well known mentor, a college campus, and a relatively swift arrest has made this matter central to both local reporting and the broader true crime communitys interest in how cases involving public figures unfold.

As the legal process proceeds, attention will remain on public records from the prosecution, any forthcoming arraignment details, and the community response. The outcome will carry weight for sentencing precedent in campus shootings in Alameda County and for how educational institutions address violence involving influential coaches and mentors.