Charges Filed in Oakland Coaching Legend's Murder
A 27-year-old man has been formally charged with the murder of John Beam, the celebrated Oakland football coach who was shot and killed last week on the college campus where he worked. Cedric Irving Jr faces charges of murder and firearm use during the commission of a crime, according to Alameda county district attorney Ursula Jones Dickson.
The prosecutor announced the charges during a Monday news conference, revealing that Irving could potentially face 50 years to life in prison if convicted. The charging complaint includes enhancement allegations that Irving personally fired the weapon causing great bodily injury and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
Community Mourns Beloved Coach
John Beam had become widely known following his appearance on the Netflix series Last Chance U five years earlier. Tragically, just one day before his killing, Beam had participated in a community forum where he expressed concerns about campus security across all four Laney College locations, including the field house where he would ultimately be killed.
"Coach Beam was such a legend in Oakland, and so that's who he was," District Attorney Jones Dickson stated emotionally. "He always had the time, he always had the energy, he always had the heart for the work. He's part of Oakland's legacy."
According to investigators, police responded to Laney College before noon on Thursday and discovered Beam with a gunshot wound to the head at the athletics field house. Despite being transported to hospital for treatment, the coach succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Arrest and Investigation Details
Irving was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning at a commuter rail station. Authorities confirmed he was carrying the firearm used in the shooting and had admitted to carrying out the attack, according to the probable cause document.
Oakland police assistant chief James Beere described the incident as "very targeted," indicating the suspect came to campus for a "specific reason." While Beere didn't elaborate on how the two men knew each other, he confirmed Irving was known to frequent the Laney campus.
Irving is currently being held without bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday. The Alameda county public defender's office has not yet been appointed to represent him and declined to comment on the case.
The shooting occurred amidst growing concerns about campus safety in Oakland, coming just one day after a student was shot at Oakland's Skyline High School. That victim remains in stable condition, with two juveniles currently in custody.
District Attorney Jones Dickson highlighted the impact on local students, noting that Skyline students visiting Laney College for a field trip experienced two lockdowns in the same week due to gun violence. "That's unacceptable that we have children in our community who now this is the norm," she stated.
Beam's coaching legacy spanned decades, having joined Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach before becoming head coach in 2012 and winning two league titles. His biography notes that at least 20 of his players advanced to the NFL, while his earlier work at Skyline High School produced 15 Oakland Athletic League titles from the 1980s through early 2000s.
Oakland mayor Barbara Lee paid tribute to Beam, stating: "Coach's Beam's legacy isn't measured in championships or statistics. It's measured in the thousands of young people he believed in, mentored, and refused to abandon."
