Laney College football coach John Beam, widely known for his appearance on the Netflix series Last Chance U, has died after being shot on campus, the Oakland Police Department announced Friday. Authorities confirmed that a suspect has already been taken into custody.
As investigators pieced together the events leading to the shooting, police announced that they had arrested a suspect less than 24 hours after the attack. At a news conference, Lt Gloria Beltran, commander of the Oakland Police homicide unit, confirmed that the suspect in Thursday's shooting has been identified as 27-year-old Cedric Irving, an Oakland resident.
Who Is Cedric Irving Jr.?
According to authorities, Cedric Irving Jr. had no personal relationship with Beam nor is he affiliated with Laney College. However, investigators stated that Irving 'knew of' Beam, suggesting the shooting may have stemmed from a targeted motive rather than a random act of violence. Oakland Assistant Chief of Police James Beere said the suspect was acquainted with the beloved football coach, but they were not close.
'The suspect did know Coach Beam,' Beere said as per Men's Journal. 'But I would say that they did not have a relationship. He was on campus for a specific reason.'
Beere did not provide details on how Beam and the suspect knew each other or why Irving was on campus, noting only that he had played football at Skyline High School, though not during the years Beam coached there. He added that the suspect was known to 'loiter' around the campus. Authorities took Irving into custody without incident and recovered a firearm.
Family members told local media that Irving had attended Chabot College at one point but left after struggling to find stability. His father revealed that his son had faced significant personal difficulties, including losing his job as a security guard and, recently, being evicted from his apartment, San Francisco Chronicle reported.
These hardships, relatives suggested, may have contributed to Cedric's erratic behaviour in the weeks leading up to the shooting. Still, investigators have not publicly confirmed any motive.
Cedric's brother, Samuel Irving, expressed disbelief, saying he cannot fathom that his sibling was responsible for the murder of Coach John Beam. 'I hope it isn't him, he said. 'The Cedric I knew wasn't capable of murder - but the way things had been going, I honestly don't know.'
How Police Identified the Suspect
Law enforcement officials described the case as a massive investigative undertaking. Detectives reportedly reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance footage, including campus security cameras, bus videos, doorbell recordings, and local business surveillance systems. Through this extensive digital trail, they were able to track Irving's movements before and after the shooting.
The breakthrough came when police located Irving at the San Leandro BART station, where he was taken into custody. Authorities also recovered a firearm from Irving that matched the calibre of shell casings found at the scene, strengthening the case against him.
Meanwhile, Cedric Irving Jr. is awaiting formal charges as investigators continue to work to find the motive and full context behind the shooting.
