Crime
Who is Cedric Irving Jr? Suspect arrested in shooting death of John Beam
Oakland, California — John Beam, the highly respected Laney College head football coach and athletic director known for shaping generations of athletes and gaining national recognition through the Netflix documentary series Last Chance U, died Friday morning from gunshot injuries sustained on campus the previous day. He was 66 years old.
Beam was shot inside the Laney College fieldhouse shortly before noon Thursday in what investigators described as a targeted attack.
He was transported to Highland Hospital, where family, friends, and former players gathered overnight. Authorities confirmed he passed away at approximately 10 a.m. Friday.
Oakland police announced the arrest of 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr. early Friday at the San Leandro BART station.
Acting Police Chief James Beere stated that Irving, a resident of Oakland, was identified as a suspect through extensive surveillance review.
According to Beere, Irving told investigators he was acquainted with Beam, though they did not have a personal relationship.
Investigators emphasized the attack was intentional and not connected to robbery or a random act.
“This was a specific, targeted incident,” Beere said. “We do not believe the suspect was a student or employee of Laney College.”
Police confirmed Irving previously played football at Skyline High School but never worked with or played under Beam.
Authorities also recovered a firearm believed to be used in the shooting, matching the caliber of shell casings found at the scene.
The case had not yet been submitted to prosecutors as of Friday afternoon, and a motive remains under investigation.
Chief Beere detailed the coordinated investigative effort, which included reviewing hundreds of hours of video from residential security systems, campus cameras, private businesses, and public transit.
“We used every legally available source of video,” Beere said. “A deputy ultimately recognized the suspect from bus surveillance footage, leading to the arrest.”
Authorities credited rapid response and interagency support for the quick apprehension.
Beam’s family released a written statement expressing profound grief:
“We are devastated that John Beam — our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle — has been taken from us far too soon. John dedicated his life to uplifting others through education, mentorship, and the game he loved. His loss leaves a hole in our family and in the Oakland community he served so passionately.”
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised law enforcement efforts and acknowledged the magnitude of the loss:
“Coach Beam was a giant in Oakland — a mentor, educator, and lifeline for thousands of young people. Our city is grieving alongside his family.”
The shooting occurred just one day after a separate school-related shooting at Skyline High School involving a 15-year-old victim, heightening community concern over campus safety.
Family members of the suspect expressed shock and disbelief when informed of the arrest.
Irving’s father said he was not yet prepared to speak publicly, while his brother, Samuael Irving, described Cedric as an academically strong student and athlete who had become increasingly isolated in recent years.
“The Cedric I knew wasn’t capable of murder — but the way things had been going, I honestly don’t know,” his brother said quietly.
Beam spent more than four decades developing student-athletes in the Bay Area, helping hundreds transfer to four-year universities and, in many cases, pursue professional careers.
He led Laney College to a 2018 community college national championship and became widely recognized for his steadfast mentorship, discipline, and commitment to student success.
Former players described him as a father figure and life coach.
“He turned boys into men,” said former athlete Clinton Pugh. “He changed lives.”
Laney College remained under heightened security following the shooting. Authorities confirmed there is no ongoing threat to students or staff.
Police continue to request information from witnesses and community members who may have seen the suspect or events preceding the shooting.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.