Former American football coach John Beam, who appeared in the Netflix series Last Chance U, has died after being shot.
The shooting took place Thursday at Laney College in Oakland, California. On Friday, police announced they had arrested a suspect but did not provide a motive for the attack.
Oakland police said the suspect never played football for Beam, but knew the coach. US media reports identified the suspect as Cedric Irving Jr.
Tributes have been pouring in for Beam, 66, who was serving as the university’s athletics director at the time of his death, including from the mayor of Oakland and the professional NFL players he coached.
Hundreds of people attended a vigil for him outside the hospital where he was being treated Thursday night, according to authorities.
Beam appeared in the fifth season of Last Chance U. The series depicts him and his team, the Laney Eagles, as they fend off rival teams in the Northern California city.
The eight-part documentary series, which aired in 2020, focused on the team’s successes and struggles, as well as the socioeconomics and gentrification of the city of Oakland.
According to police, the suspect was arrested overnight at a local bus stop and found carrying a gun. He was detained without incident.
Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere said the suspect knew Beam, but “they were not in a relationship.”
