The man accused of killing beloved Laney College athletic director John Beam in Oakland has been charged with murder, along with a gun enhancement, authorities announced Monday.
Cedric Irving Jr., 27, faces 50 years to life in prison if convicted. Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said the murder charge includes an enhancement for discharging a firearm.
Irving is accused of shooting Beam — the longtime Laney football coach featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U” — at the Laney Fieldhouse sports facility last week. Beam, 66, died the next morning. Police arrested Irving hours after the shooting at the San Leandro BART station following a manhunt.
Dickson said the killing, a separate shooting at Skyline High School, and ongoing gun violence in Oakland prompted her office to reinstate mandatory minimum sentences in gun cases.
“I think it’s important to talk about accountability as it relates to gun violence,” Dickson said. “There are way too many guns on the street… and a lot of those hands, unfortunately, are young people.”
Dickson would not release further details about Beam’s killing. Police have not identified a motive but described the shooting as a “very targeted incident.” She confirmed Irving made statements to officers but declined to elaborate.
Oakland Interim Police Chief James Beere said last week that Irving was neither a student nor an employee at Laney College, though he was known to loiter near campus. Irving previously played football at Skyline High School, where Beam once coached, but not during Beam’s tenure.
Dickson added that the gun found on Irving during his arrest was registered to him. She also said there is no indication Irving suffers from mental health issues and noted he has no prior criminal record.
Beam was widely revered across Oakland and the Bay Area for his decades-long impact on student-athletes. His program at Laney had a graduation or transfer rate of over 90%, according to the Peralta Community College District. Over his career, Beam helped develop more than 30 NFL players, including seven Super Bowl participants.
Leave a Reply