John Beam, a cherished football coach whose mentorship and care touched the lives of thousands of people, has died after being shot Thursday on an Oakland college campus — a devastating loss for a California community still reeling from another act of school gun violence just days earlier.

The revered Bay Area football figure featured in Netflix documentary series “Last Chance U” was rushed to Highland Hospital in critical condition Thursday but died Friday morning, Oakland police homicide commander Lt. Gloria Beltran announced at a news conference.

Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Cedric Irving, Beltran said. The suspect was acquainted with Beam but did not have a close relationship with him, according to Oakland Assistant Chief of Police James Beere.

For many, the news felt unthinkable.

Piedmont Police Chief Frederick Shavies described Beam as a “father figure to thousands of not only men but young women,” someone who left an “indelible” imprint on Oakland and far beyond.

Hundreds gathered for a vigil Thursday night, holding candles and hope as Beam fought for his life — the same way he had spent decades teaching young people to fight for their own, Shavies said.

“Our hearts are aching,” Shavies said, reflecting on the man he had known since eighth grade — the man who stepped in with support after Shavies’ father died.

Beam’s family said in a statement read by police: “We are devastated that John — our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor and friend — has passed. Our hearts are full from the outpouring of love and support from all who cared about him. We are deeply grateful for your continued prayers and ask for privacy during this time.”

Meanwhile, questions remain about what authorities described as a “very targeted incident,” as the suspect awaits formal charges. The case will be referred to the district attorney’s office for review.

What we know about the suspect

On Thursday at 11:53 a.m., Oakland Police officers responded to Laney College and found Beam suffering from gunshot wounds, Beltran said.

Beam had been at the college’s fieldhouse, which houses the athletic training facilities, where he continued serving as athletic director after retiring as head football coach last year. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and listed in critical condition.

Officials obtained photos of the suspect, who was later spotted at the San Leandro Bay Area Rapid Transit station. He was taken into custody and gave a statement to police regarding the shooting, Beltran said.

“The ability to actually track the suspect after he left Laney College was a diligent effort and an amazing, heavy lift to go through hundreds of hours of surveillance footage so we could track that individual,” Beere, Oakland’s assistant chief of police, said.

The suspect played football at Skyline High School in Oakland, but not while Beam was employed there, authorities said. Although Irving was not a student at Laney College, he was often seen loitering on campus, Beere added.

“Coach Beam, although (he and the suspect) did not have a close relationship, was open to helping everybody in our community, and this is not uncommon for him to have a relationship with someone that he would think needs help,” Beere said.

Officials said Irving was on campus for a specific purpose, though they did not specify what that was. While authorities described the encounter as targeted, Beere confirmed it was not connected to a robbery.

A champion for second chances

Beam’s impact on the game stretched across more than four decades. He began coaching in Oakland in 1982 as Skyline High School’s defensive coordinator before joining Laney College in 2004 as the running backs coach, later becoming offensive coordinator and eventually head coach in 2012. Under his leadership, Laney won two league titles.

His influence reached far beyond the sidelines. More than 20 of Beam’s former players went on to the NFL, including seven who played in the Super Bowl, according to his biography on the college’s website.

His appearance in the 2020 season of “Last Chance U” introduced his tough-love mentorship style to a national audience and cemented his status as a champion for young athletes seeking a second chance.

CNN has reached out to Netflix for comment.

To the Bay Area, Beam was more than a coach. He was a builder of people, a steady presence, a believer in potential.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee reflected on the profound impact Beam had on the community, calling his legacy one “we all have to lift up, given the way he mentored young people, people who never would have had a chance.”

Beam coached the mayor’s nephew when he attended Skyline High School, she said, calling Beam “a phenomenal human being.” His influence transcended the football field, she added; he was a mentor, a friend, and a source of guidance for students, athletes and community members from all walks of life.

The mayor described the city’s grief, noting the outpouring of support from people across Oakland as the community struggles with the loss.

“He was friends with everyone and encouraged everyone. He never thought anyone was a lost cause,” Lee told CNN on Friday. “People feel the void already and are grieving this loss like you would not believe.”

Athletes across the country took to social media to mourn Beam, sharing photos and memories that capture the stunning impact he had on their lives. Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright posted a group photo with Beam, writing simply, “Will forever miss you dawg.” New Orleans Saints cornerback Rejzohn Wright shared a heartfelt homage, captioning a cheerful photo of a trio posing with Beam, “Crushed.”

“I pray my prayers strong enough,” Wright wrote over a memorial video montage of Beam guiding and inspiring his athletes.

Both athletes shared a video from April 2023, taken days before the NFL draft, showing Beam at football practice. Wearing his signature sunglasses and mustache, he jokes with the players while offering guidance — a fleeting, tender glimpse of the warmth, humor, and care that made him much more than a coach.

Closing his remarks during the news conference, Shavies said, “I know that if Coach were here, he’d finish by saying, ‘Two claps — ready, ready.’”

Another life ‘stolen’ by gun violence

Laney College was placed on lockdown Thursday after reports of a shooting, as police secured the area and launched an investigation. The campus reopened Friday with mental health and counseling services available, the college said.

“The Peralta community is devastated by his shooting,” Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson said in a message to employees. “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 described Beam as “a renowned coach, teacher, mentor, and leader whose impact extends far beyond athletics.”

In an earlier statement, Lee condemned the killing, saying gun violence has “stolen” another life and warning that the city cannot allow firearms to continue flooding its streets and destroying the very people “who are trying to save our community.”

“Coach’s Beam’s legacy isn’t measured in championships or statistics,” Lee said in the statement Friday. “It’s measured in the thousands of young people he believed in, mentored, and refused to abandon … He gave Oakland’s youth their best chance, and he never stopped fighting for them.”

The incident is Oakland’s second school shooting in two days.

On Wednesday, one juvenile was shot and two were arrested at Skyline High School, police said. The juvenile who was shot was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition.

“It is devastating,” Lee added. “Schools should be the safest spaces in our city. We need guns off our streets now.” (BBC)