‘Last Chance U’ Coach John Beam Killed in on-Campus Shooting

John Beam, a head coach featured in season 5 of Last Chance U, has died just after a shooting on the campus of Laney College. Beam rose to fame as the head coach at Laney College, but had pivoted into a new role at the community college in the years since Netflix cameras left the institution’s football program. The football program largely spearheaded by Beam was the focus of the Netflix docu-series’ final season.

John Beam is dead following an on-campus shooting

Netflix viewers grew familiar with John Beam, then a head coach of a community college football team, back in 2020. As COVID-19 forced the shutdown of everything from sports to offices, citizens took refuge on streaming platforms. Last Chance U and other docu-series offered a reminder of the pre-pandemic world. Beam was seen as a head coach who lived for his college community and football program. His life ended on the same campus.

On November 13, reports indicated that there had been a shooting at Laney College in Oakland, California. Hours later, ABC 7 revealed that the shooting occurred inside the Fieldhouse, an athletic building that housed several staff members. The following day, it was announced that John Beam had died from injuries suffered in the shooting. He was removed from the campus in critical condition and died in a local hospital.

An arrest has been made in the shooting that authorities are calling “very targeted.” According to several sources, Cedric Irving Jr, a 27-year-old not directly connected to the college community, was apprehended by police on November 14. It is unclear how Irving and Beam knew each other, but Beam, who was promoted to athletic director in 2024, had previously raised concerns about campus security.

The investigation into Beam’s shooting death is still active. More information about the alleged shooter and his connection to Beam is expected in the coming days.

John Beam and Laney College were the focus of the final season of ‘Last Chance U’

The season in which Beam was involved was the show’s final season. It premiered in July 2020. The season, consisting of 8 episodes, opened with the Laney Eagles flying high after a championship season. Cameras followed along as team hopes were dashed, as injuries and personal struggles threatened the team’s season. Beam, as head coach, was there to keep his players focused.

While many fans assumed the pandemic was largely to blame for the cancellation of the docu-series, that was not actually the case. During a chat with The Wrap, director Greg Whiteley contended that while Netflix was the ultimate deciding factor in the show’s demise, the team behind the series felt like it was a natural place to end, regardless. Whiteley noted that the team felt they had accurately and completely covered the topics they set out to cover, depicting the on-the-field and off-the-field struggles that players at the junior college level face.