Few incidents are so shocking that it doesn’t even feel real. The death of beloved football coach and Netflix personality John Beam has left Oakland and the sports world stunned. Friends, former players, and the community spent Friday trying to make sense of how anyone could harm a man who helped so many people.

Beam, 66, who became well-known through Netflix’s Last Chance U, died after being shot in the head on the Laney College campus. Doctors tried to save him, but he didn’t survive. His death shocked everyone who knew him. Many people said he changed their lives some even said he saved them.

Police acted quickly. Officers arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr. early Friday at the San Leandro BART station. Oakland Assistant Chief James Beere said Irving went to the campus for a specific reason and had been seen hanging around the school before. Beere called the shooting “very targeted” but did not give any more details.

A Targeted Attack On Beam Unfolds

Investigators revealed one detail that raised more questions. Irving once played football at a high school where Beam previously coached. The two never overlapped, but the link caught attention. Officers collected video from campus cameras, nearby homes and public transit to track Irving’s movements. They also recovered a gun.

The shooting happened near the field house at East 8th Street and Fifth Avenue. Police initially treated it like an active shooter situation. They locked down the campus until officers confirmed the threat involved only one victim.

Beam family released a short statement. They said he was a “loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor, and friend.” They also thanked the community for its support. Beam’s wife, Cindi, and their daughters now face a loss that many described as immeasurable.

Beam started at Serra High School in San Diego, moved to Skyline High School in Oakland, and won 15 championships there. He joined Laney College in 2004, took over as head coach in 2012 and led the program through league titles and bowl runs. Players said he believed in the ones no one else wanted. He helped them turn their lives around.

Former NFL running back CJ Anderson urged his old coach to “keep fighting” hours before the news broke. Nahshon and Rejzohn Wright, now in the NFL, posted emotional tributes. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said Beam gave the city’s youth their best success.

But still the question remains that why would anyone want to kill a man like John Beam?