John Beam: Legendary Oakland football coach wounded in Laney College shooting

A staff member in the athletic department at a California community college was shot on campus Thursday, school officials said.

The alleged shooter fled the scene and remains at large, police said.

The shooting occurred shortly before noon Thursday at Laney College in Oakland, which is part of the Peralta Community College District.

Responding officers located one person on campus suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.

Sources told ABC San Francisco station KGO that it was Laney College's athletic director and football coach, John Beam, who was shot and wounded.

Beam's team was featured on Netflix's "Last Chance U."

The victim was shot in the Laney Field House, according to the Peralta Community College District, which identified the individual as a senior member of the school's athletic staff but did not release the name "out of respect for their privacy."

"The individual was immediately transported to a local hospital, and we are keeping them -- and their loved ones -- in our hearts during this incredibly difficult time," the district said in a statement.

The victim is currently being treated at the hospital, according to Oakland Assistant Police Chief James Beere, who did not release the individual's name.

Authorities are working to locate the shooting suspect, described as a man wearing dark clothing, Beere said. Investigators are conducting interviews and looking through surveillance video.

The incident is not an active shooter situation, Beere said.

A lockdown issued on campus amid the law enforcement response has since been lifted once police confirmed there was no longer any active threat, school officials said.

Authorities respond to a shooting at Laney College in Oakland, California, Nov. 13, 2025.

KGO

The campus is closed for the remainder of the day, and in-person classes have been canceled.

"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 school district said.

Beam, a football legend in the Bay Area, has coached the sport for over 40 years. He has been the athletic director at Laney College since 2006. The college's football team was featured on a season of the Netflix series "Last Chance U."

OAKLAND, Calif. - Bullets rang out Thursday afternoon at Laney College in Oakland, striking a legendary coach who spent 45 years shaping young athletes into leaders on and off the field.

Beloved coach and athletic director

What we know:

Officials with the Peralta Community College District, which operates Laney, confirmed to KTVU that the man shot was John Beam, the longtime Laney College football coach who retired from coaching last year before taking a job as the school’s athletic director.

Earlier, college officials would only say that the victim was a senior staff member in the athletic department.

"A senior member of our athletic staff was shot on campus in the Laney Field House. The individual was immediately transported to a local hospital, and we are keeping them—and their loved ones—in our hearts during this incredibly difficult time. Out of respect for their privacy, we are not releasing their name at this moment," the college said.

The victim's current condition is not yet known.

Campus alert

The shooting happened around noon in the 900 block of Fallon Street, near the Laney Fieldhouse. That building is adjacent to the college’s football field and houses the school’s athletic facilities and resources. That's where Beam worked out of.

Before the shooting was confirmed, the Peralta Community College District issued an emergency alert at 12:16 p.m. warning of a reported active shooter near the Fieldhouse.

"An active shooter has been reported at the Laney Fieldhouse. Please avoid the area. Stay locked down until further notice. We will update when we have more information," the alert read.

Authorities later clarified that it was not an active shooter situation, only that one person had been shot.

Police are searching for the suspect who they said fled the scene wearing dark-colored clothing.

Storied coaching career

Dig deeper:

Beam’s career has spanned decades of success and community impact.

He began his coaching career in San Diego before coming to the Bay Area.

He started coaching at Skyline High School in the 80s, where he won 15 league championships and four undefeated seasons.

He later brought his talents to Laney College, where he added to his legacy and helped build one of the most respected junior college football programs in the nation.

Between his time at Laney and Skyline, Beam produced more than 20 NFL players, including seven Super Bowl participants. His former players have gone on to win championships at every level of football — from NCAA Division I and III to the Canadian Grey Cup, NFL Europe, and Arena League titles.

Beam’s success and mentorship earned national attention when Netflix featured Laney College in its "Last Chance U" series in 2020.

Beyond the field, Beam has been praised for his commitment to guiding young athletes.

"My parents were immigrants. They came out here and didn't know too much. Beam found my brother in San Lorenzo and said, ‘Hey come and play for me man. I could help you out,'" said Maamaloa Mafi back in 2024. "Ever since then, it was just trickling down."

Mafi said he and his five brothers all played for Beam.

In a previous interview with KTVU, Beam said his coaching philosophy centered on honesty, consistency, and helping athletes succeed in life, not just in sports.

"It was always about teaching young men and young women, student-athletes, how to fit into society and do certain things like be true to your word," Beam said.

Skyline High shooting

The shooting comes less than 24 hours after a student was shot at Skyline High, where, coincidentally, Beam once coached. The student was expected to survive. Two young people were arrested in Monday afternoon's campus shooting.

On Wednesday, Oakland Police Assistant Chief James Beere called the violence on school campuses "disgusting."

"These are our children," he said. "Having access to firearms alone is unbelievable, let alone that violence is occurring in and around our campuses. It’s our number one priority to make sure our children are safe and their schools are safe."