It appears there are some mental health issues with the 27-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Laney College coach John Beam, as he reportedly told investigators that he shot Beam because he thought Beam was performing witchcraft on him.
Tributes continue pouring in for legendary former Skyline High and Laney College football coach John Beam, who died on Friday after being shot on the Laney College campus early Thursday afternoon. There are a handful of players in the NFL right now who played for Beam in college, including Chicago Bears cornerback Nashon Wright, who made an interception Sunday, and dropped to a knee in an emotional tribute to his mentor Beam.
Nahshon Wright was released by the Vikings back in April and signed by the Bears a day later. He now has four interceptions in 10 games this season, including two against his former team. pic.twitter.com/UifgBGIXsg
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) November 16, 2025
Nashon Wright’s homage to Coach Beam can be seen below. But closer to home at the site of Beam’s fatal shooting at Laney College, police had arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr for the shooting early Friday morning. On Monday, Alameda County prosecutors announced they were charging Irving with first-degree murder for the killing, as well as additional gun charges.
My heart aches so much right now. Beam is the most down to earth person I’ve ever meet when my father was shot and killed he came and knocked on my door and got me and my younger brother out of bed and the rest is history. I’m glad I was able to speak with you one last time… pic.twitter.com/Z5NziziKcV
— Nahshon Wright (@nahwrig) November 15, 2025
Early reports were that Irving confessed to the killing pretty much immediately once he was located by police. Now the Chronicle reports on an additional puzzling aspect of the killing, which is that the alleged shooter Irving claimed that Beam was performing witchcraft on him.
“The man accused of shooting and killing legendary Oakland football coach and Laney College Athletic Director John Beam last week told investigators he thought Beam had been using witchcraft on him and others,” according to the Chronicle. “Police believe Irving had a ‘fixation’ on Beam.”
Irving had never played for Beam, as Irving played high school football at Skyline High School some ten years ago. Beam left Skyline High for Laney College in 2004, though often visited the high school and was given a hero’s welcome, having won 15 league championships there.
Investigators say that after the shooting, Irving simply hopped on an AC Transit bus toward an area near Oakland’s Eastmont Mall, where Irving is reportedly currently living unsheltered. When police tracked Irving down around 3 am Friday morning, they say he was not surprised about being questioned, freely admitted to the killing, and also acknowledged that he owned the murder weapon, a gun he was carrying in his own duffle bag.
Irving is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail, and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in an Alameda County court.
Related: Football Coach John Beam Has Died After Being Shot Thursday at Laney College [SFist]
Image via Netflix
