Former football coach John Beam, who starred in the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U, is in the hospital after being shot on the campus of Laney College in Oakland on Thursday (November 13).
According to the Peralta Community College District website, Beam, who serves as the school’s athletic director, was shot on campus in the Laney Field House at around noon. He was “immediately transported to a local hospital.” His current condition is unknown at the time of writing.
“Laney College was under active lockdown as law enforcement authorities secured the campus and investigated the situation,” the statement continued. “Oakland Police Department has confirmed there’s no longer an active threat and the campus lockdown has been lifted; however, the campus is closed for the rest of the day.”
The Oakland Police Department has not provided a motive for the shooting, nor has a suspect been identified.
“We’re currently asking the public’s help in locating a suspect, a potential suspect in this case,” Oakland Police Department acting chief James Beere told reporters during a Thursday press conference, per NBC News.
He added, “I know that there was some concern that this may have been an active shooter. We responded as if it was an active shooter. I can tell you right now it was not an active shooter.”
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Beam worked as a football coach for over four decades at both junior college and high school levels. He and his students were featured in the fifth season of the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U, which focused on collegiate athletes who had struggled in their lives and were seeking structure.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee spoke highly of Beam in a statement to NBC Bay Area, saying, “My thoughts are with Coach John Beam and his loved ones. We are praying for him. Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people. For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.”
Beam served as head football coach at Laney College from 2012 to 2024. He became the school’s athletic director in 2006, a position he still holds to this day.
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