"It's just unbelievable this would happen. I had no choice but to come down and pay respects,"
"It was his guidance that steered me to the track team. I remember that was his guidance. I appreciated that,"
"In the beginning, you say, 'Who's this old man giving advice?' But he's saying that stuff because he cares about you and wants you to succeed. Now I'm in Hawaii trying to give back to people as a teacher and security guard, trying to give back to the youth like Coach Beam did for us, trying to follow in his footsteps,"
John Beam, a legendary Laney College football coach and athletic director, was shot on campus and died the following day. Authorities arrested 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr. and described the incident as a targeted attack, though a clear motive remains unknown. The suspect was not a current student but was known to loiter on campus and to know Beam. Community members gathered at a fence-line memorial and at a church-sponsored gun buyback to honor Beam. Former players recalled Beam's tough love and mentorship, including guidance that changed athletic paths and helped turn lives around.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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