The Oakland Police Department said a suspect was arrested Friday, a day after the shooting occurred.

Last Chance U coach John Beam dies at 66 after being shot on campus

The Oakland Police Department said a suspect was arrested Friday, a day after the shooting occurred.

By Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author. Her work has previously appeared in *TV Guide Magazine*, E! News/E! Online, *The Hollywood Reporter*, Mashable, Bustle, IGN, DCComics.com, Inverse, *The Daily Northwestern*, and more.

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on November 14, 2025 5:32 p.m. ET

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John Beam on 'Last Chance U'. Credit:

John Beam, the Laney College athletic director and former football coach featured on the Netflix docuseries *Last Chance U*, has died at 66 after being shot on campus in Oakland.

Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced Beam's death during a press conference Friday, a day after the shooting occurred, according to the Associated Press. Authorities also said an unnamed suspect has been arrested in the shooting.

"This was a very targeted incident," Assistant Chief James Beere told reporters, adding that the suspect and Beam knew each other. Although they weren't close, the coach was "open to helping everybody in our community."

Beere did not disclose exactly how the suspect and Beam knew each other but said the suspect played football at Skyline High School, though not when Beam worked there. The suspect was also known to "loiter" around campus, and was there for "a specific reason."

John Beam in 'Last Chance U'.

The assistant chief said the suspect was taken into custody without any altercation, and that a gun had been recovered. Charges are still pending.

The shooting occurred at noon in the Laney Field House sports complex, the Peralta Community College District confirmed in a press release Thursday. Beam, the longtime Laney athletic director who retired from coaching the football team after more than four decades last year, was transported to a local hospital as police placed the campus under lockdown until it determined that there was no longer an active threat. The campus was then closed for the rest of the day.

"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 district said. "This is a frightening moment for our community. We encourage everyone to follow official instructions and rely only on verified communications from the district and law enforcement."

John Beam, former coach from Netflix's 'Last Chance U,' shot on California campus

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Beam's shooting came as the second shooting in two days at a school in Oakland, after a student was shot at Skyline High School. The student is in stable condition, and police arrested two juveniles and recovered two firearms.

Beam's family said in a statement that he was a "loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor and friend." They asked for privacy at this time while noting their "hearts are full from the outpouring of love."

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After joining Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach, Beam became head coach in 2012 and went on to win two league titles. According to his biography on the college's website, 20 of his players have gone on to the NFL.

Beam was profiled in 2020 on the final season of Netflix's *Last Chance U*, a sports docuseries featuring junior college athletes working to turn their lives around. The season highlighted the Laney College Eagles football team as they fought to overcome both personal and academic challenges and achieve their dreams of becoming Division I athletes. The series cast a spotlight on Beam's coaching philosophy, with him taking students under his wing and stressing the importance of the team's "Laney Built" motto.**

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