Football coach John Beam rose to national prominence five years ago through his role on the Netflix documentary series "Last Chance U."

However, the beloved 66-year-old reality television star died tragically this week after being shot in the head. 

Police say shooting was "very targeted"

According to the New York Post, Beam was pronounced dead in hospital at 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning after being shot roughly 22 hours earlier.

The shooting took place on campus at Oakland, California's Laney College and was allegedly committed by  27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr.

James Beere served as Oakland's assistant police chief, and he described the killing as being a "very targeted incident." What's more, Beere characterized the fallen coach as being someone who was "open to helping everybody in our community."

The law enforcement official explained that Irving attended Skyline High School where Beam worked for 22 years but did not play football. He was taken into custody at 3:00 a.m. on Friday and was known to "loiter" on Laney's campus.

Chancellor remembers Beam as "one of the most respected" figures

Tammeil Gilkerson is chancellor of Laney, and CNN reported that she issued a message to staff members who had been "devastated" by Beam's killing.

"We are stunned and heartbroken that such violence has touched our campus and one of the most respected and beloved members of our Laney, Peralta, and Oakland community," Gilkerson stressed.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee spoke up as well in a social media post, writing, "My deepest condolences go out to Coach John Beam’s family and loved ones. They ask for privacy at this time."

My deepest condolences go out to Coach John Beam’s family and loved ones. They ask for privacy at this time.

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,… pic.twitter.com/XtFsbzxV1v

— Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLee_CA) November 14, 2025

"Coach Beam’s legacy isn’t measured in championships or statistics," she declared. "It's measured in the thousands of young people he believed in, mentored, and refused to abandon, including my nephew, while at Skyline High school."

Democrat mayor blames Beams death on prevalence of guns

Lee further praised Beam for having given "Oakland’s youth their best chance, and he never stopped fighting for them."

The Democrat then used Lee's death as an opportunity to demand more gun restrictions, adding, "We cannot let guns continue flooding our streets and destroying the very people trying to save our community."

"Coach Beam spent four decades lifting up Oakland and mentoring our young people," she continued before insisting, "Now we must honor his memory by continuing the hard work of ridding our community of gun violence."