College football coach John Beam, who was featured on Netflix’s Last Chance U, is in critical condition after being shot on campus at Laney College in Oakland, California, on Thursday, November 13.
“At approximately noon, 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,” the Peralta Community College District said in a statement on Thursday, choosing not to name Beam.
“Laney College was under active lockdown as law enforcement authorities secured the campus and investigated the situation.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 statement continued, describing the incident as a “frightening moment for our community.”
During a Thursday news conference, Oakland Police Department acting chief James Beere, told reporters, “We’re currently asking the public’s help in locating a suspect, a potential suspect in this case,” per NBC News.
“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,” Beere said.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement to NBC Bay Area, “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 was Laney College’s head football coach from 2012 to 2024 and has been the school’s athletic director since 2006.
Beam and his students were featured on the fifth and final season of Netflix’s Last Chance U, which aired in 2020 and documented the lives of collegiate athletes.
Sports is becoming more and more important on Netflix, especially live events. But for sports fans, Netflix’s greatest value is in its documentaries. The streamer has a lot of documentary series and movies that revolve around sports in significant ways. Unsurprisingly, football and basketball docs dominate the field, with baseball and other sports coming in […]
Beam was noted for his interpersonal skills with his players, including hugging them and encouraging vulnerability.
“To many young men, especially young men of color, showing your vulnerability is a sign of weakness,” he said in a 2020 New York Times interview. “And we’re trying to say: ‘No. It’s not. In fact, it’s a sign of strength. Asking for help is a strength move, a power move.’”
He added, “In a masculine game like football, it’s OK to be vulnerable. It’s OK to hug. It’s OK to cry. At the same time, I’m a competitive guy. But you always have to remember that there’s a fragility there that we have to be careful of.”
The final season of Last Chance U was praised by critics, with particular regard paid to Beam.
“John Beam is a 40-year veteran, and the closest thing the show has ever had to a purely avuncular figure, far from the screaming blood-diarrhea meltdowns of the previous coaches,” wrote The Guardian critic Stuart Heritage at the time. “He isn’t a benign presence, especially on the touchline, but in comparison with previous years he radiates calm. He jokes with his players, and gives long speeches about how he prefers the carrot to the stick. And the players react beautifully to him, working to impress him without ever living in fear of him. He inspires respect without terror. He is, to return to my grand Last Chance U thesis, the perfect parent.”
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