An individual has been apprehended in relation to the shooting of John Beam, the well-known figure from the “Last Chance U” docuseries, which occurred on Thursday.
John Beam, aged 66, who has been a long-serving athletic director at Laney College, was attacked on the Oakland, California campus just before noon. Beam, who retired from his coaching role at the college in 2024, sustained critical injuries from the incident, as confirmed by Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere during a press briefing.
According to sources from the Bay Area’s ABC affiliate, Beam was shot in the head and is currently hospitalized in critical condition.
The Oakland Police Department announced on Friday morning that they had made an arrest in connection with the shooting. However, they have not disclosed any further details about the suspect or whether there is any direct connection to the college, Beam, or the football team.
In a subsequent social media post, the police assured the public of their commitment to transparency, stating, “We’re committed to keeping our community informed and will have more details later today.”
The Peralta Community College District issued a statement on Thursday, revealing that a senior athletic department staff member was shot at the Laney Field House around noon, prompting a lockdown of the campus.
“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with police and emergency personnel to ensure the campus remains protected,” the statement continued.
The lockdown was lifted at around 1:15 p.m., with authorities later confirming it was not an active shooter situation and that only one person had been shot.
The school shooting marked the second in Oakland in roughly 24 hours, after a juvenile student was shot at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Skyline High School. Police previously said the student was in stable condition, and that two other juveniles were arrested in connection with the incident.
“The last two days have been incredibly heavy for our city,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee wrote on social media as she called to get “guns off our streets now.”
Lee said her “thoughts are with Coach John Beam and his loved ones. We are praying for him.”
The mayor referred to Beam as “a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” who has “shaped leaders on and off the field” for more than 40 years.
Beam has served as the Laney Eagles’ athletic director since 2006, after first joining the school’s football teach as a running back coach. He became head coach in 2012 and went on to win two league titles.
According to his bio on the college’s website, more than 20 of his players have gone on to the NFL.
He and his Eagles also starred in the Netflix hit “Last Chance U” during its 2020 season. The docuseries focused on athletes at junior colleges striving to turn their lives around.
