A shooting on the Laney College campus Thursday afternoon left a longtime and beloved figure in the athletic department injured, according to multiple sources. The incident occurred around noon in the 900 block of Fallon Street, inside the Laney Fieldhouse, a facility adjacent to the college’s football field.
John Beam Shooting
Sources confirmed to KTVU that the victim is John Beam, the legendary Laney College football coach who spent 45 years mentoring young athletes and shaping generations both on and off the field. Beam retired from coaching last year and recently transitioned into a new role as the college’s athletic director.
Authorities have not officially released the victim’s identity, and Laney College also stopped short of confirming names, saying only that a “senior member” of the athletic staff had been shot.
“A senior member of our athletic staff was shot on campus in the Laney Field House. The individual was immediately transported to a local hospital, and we are keeping them—and their loved ones—in our hearts during this incredibly difficult time,” the college said in a statement. “Out of respect for their privacy, we are not releasing their name at this moment.”
The victim’s current condition has not yet been disclosed.
The shooting triggered an immediate campus alert issued by the Peralta Community College District at 12:16 p.m. The alert warned of a reported active shooter near the Fieldhouse and instructed students and staff to avoid the area and remain locked down. Authorities later clarified that this was not an active shooter scenario, but rather an isolated incident in which one individual was shot.
Police say the suspect fled the area wearing dark-colored clothing. No arrests have been announced, and investigators are continuing to search for the shooter and determine the motive behind the attack.
Laney College, deeply shaken by the incident, is offering support services to students and employees as the community anxiously awaits updates on the victim’s condition.
