A 27-year-old man accused of killing John Beam, a former Oakland community college football coach, appeared in court Tuesday. Cedric Irving Jr. is charged with murder and several related enhancements in connection to Beam’s death. He remains in custody without bail.
Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said at a news conference Monday that Irving could face 50 years to life in prison if convicted. Irving did not enter a plea during the hearing and stayed silent, remaining out of view for most of those present as he was kept inside an enclosed area for defendants. His attorney, Sydney Levin from the county’s public defender’s office, stated that Irving was waiving a formal arraignment; the judge set December 16 as the date to enter a plea.
No motive has been provided by prosecutors for the shooting, which occurred at Laney College in downtown Oakland. The district attorney confirmed that Irving has no previous criminal record.
The courtroom was crowded with reporters and members of Beam’s family and friends on Tuesday.
John Beam, age 66, had a significant impact on his community as both coach and mentor. He was featured along with his team in the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U” during its 2020 season. After retiring from coaching last year, he served as Laney College’s athletic director.
Police responded to Laney College before noon Thursday where they found Beam shot in the head at the athletics field house. He received hospital treatment but died from his injuries the next day.
According to Peralta Community College District’s student-run news outlet The Citizen, Beam had previously expressed concerns about security at the field house after incidents including a fire and break-in nearby. At a forum held one day before his shooting, Beam mentioned feeling less safe on campus since armed deputies were replaced by unarmed guards when the district ended its contract with Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in 2020.
Irving was arrested early Friday morning at a commuter rail station while carrying the firearm used in the shooting. According to police documents, he admitted responsibility for the act. Police described the incident as “very targeted.”
The public defender’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Oakland experienced two school shootings last week; one involved a student being shot and wounded at Skyline High School on Wednesday. The city has around 400,000 residents and is located across San Francisco Bay.
