John Beam, the legendary Bay Area football coach and star of Netflix’s Last Chance U, has died after being shot on the campus of Laney College in Oakland, officials confirmed Friday. He was 65.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced Beam’s passing during a press conference, one day after authorities responded to a shooting at Laney’s fieldhouse around midday Thursday. Early Friday, police announced they had made an arrest in connection with the incident.
According to the Peralta Community College District, the shooting took place inside the fieldhouse where Laney’s athletic training facilities are housed. Beam, who retired as the school’s head football coach last year, remained on campus in his role as athletic director. Peralta Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson said the district was left reeling.
“The Peralta community is devastated by his shooting and deeply concerned for his well-being,” she wrote in a message before Beam’s death was confirmed. “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 was rushed to Highland Hospital in critical condition following the shooting and succumbed to his injuries on Friday. Laney College was placed on immediate lockdown following reports of the shooting. Police secured the area and launched a full investigation before the campus reopened.
The college said mental health and counseling services were made available to students and staff shaken by the tragedy. Tammeil Gilkerson, Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, said the community was shattered.
"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," she said.
Before Beam's death was confirmed, she described him as "a renowned coach, teacher, mentor, and leader whose impact extends far beyond athletics."
Beam's national profile surged in 2020 when he starred in Last Chance U's fifth season, which documented Laney College's football program and captured Beam's tough-love coaching style, community-first mindset, and deep commitment to helping young men rebuild their futures.
