Police say the shooter fled after a midday attack inside the campus field house.
OAKLAND, Calif. — Laney College was placed on lockdown Thursday after longtime athletic director and former football coach John Beam was shot inside the campus field house around noon, prompting a large police response and a building-by-building search as officers worked to secure the grounds.
Beam, 66, is a prominent figure in Bay Area sports, known nationally from the Netflix series “Last Chance U” and for leading Laney to a 2018 community college football title. Officials said the victim was taken to a local hospital after medics treated him on campus. Authorities did not immediately release his condition or identify a suspect by name. The Peralta Community College District said there was no continuing threat to students or staff once the scene was secured, but it canceled in-person classes for the rest of the day as investigators collected evidence.
Police and campus officials said the shooting occurred shortly before noon in the Laney Field House, a facility adjoining the football field near Lake Merritt. Officers converged on the area within minutes and ordered a lockdown while they cleared buildings and interviewed witnesses. Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere said the incident did not appear to be an ongoing active-shooter situation and that the assailant ran from the campus after the gunfire. “Our officers moved quickly to secure the scene and make sure there was no further danger to the campus community,” Beere said. Students and staff were told to shelter in place before the lockdown was lifted later in the afternoon.
District officials described the victim only as a senior member of the athletic staff in their initial statement, citing privacy concerns. Multiple Bay Area outlets later identified the wounded staffer as Beam, who has served as Laney’s athletic director and previously led the Eagles football program. Police said the shooting happened inside the field house and that the suspect fled on foot. Investigators canvassed for surveillance video and evidence markers could be seen near entryways and interior corridors. As of Thursday evening, no arrests had been announced and the motive remained unknown. Authorities asked anyone with information to contact Oakland police.
Beam’s career spans decades in Oakland. Before taking over at Laney in 2012, he built winning teams at Skyline High School and became known for mentoring local players who went on to four-year colleges and the pros. He retired as head coach in 2024 but stayed on as athletic director, remaining a fixture on the sideline and in the field house where Thursday’s shooting occurred. Laney’s football program earned a national community-college title in 2018, and Beam’s profile rose after “Last Chance U” chronicled the team’s 2019 season, bringing national attention to a program rooted in Oakland’s public schools and community colleges.
During Thursday’s response, officers established a perimeter around the field house and restricted access to nearby lots while they swept the complex. Yellow tape blocked doors and a row of patrol cars lined East 8th Street. Students who had been attending afternoon classes waited to be escorted out, some clutching backpacks and athletic gear. A campus public address message directed those inside to lock doors and silence phones. Athletic staffers gathered near the stadium entrance and spoke quietly as detectives moved in and out of the building.
The district said classes were canceled for the remainder of the day to allow police to work. Administrators planned to review schedules and security protocols, and to provide counseling resources for students and staff affected by the incident. Police said they were reviewing camera footage, taking witness statements and processing the scene for ballistic evidence. Beere said detectives would release additional details when confirmed and expected to provide an update after they completed the initial canvass. No timeline was given for a briefing, and officials did not say when the field house would reopen.
Former players and colleagues expressed shock and support for Beam as news spread. Outside the hospital, several community members who have worked with him over the years said he has been a steady presence for athletes coming through Oakland’s high schools and community colleges. “Coach Beam has poured into generations of young people here,” one longtime assistant said, adding that the program would rally around its student-athletes while waiting for official updates. Others described a tense afternoon on campus as alerts buzzed phones and staff moved students into lockable rooms.
As of Thursday night, police had not announced an arrest or released a detailed suspect description, and the motive remained unclear. The campus returned to limited operations after the lockdown was lifted, with the district saying further updates would be posted when available. Officials said a fuller briefing was expected once detectives completed interviews and reviewed security video.
Author note: Last updated November 13, 2025.