John Beam, a cherished football coach whose mentorship and care touched the lives of thousands of people, has died after being shot Thursday on an Oakland college campus — a devastating loss for a California community still reeling from another act of school gun violence just days earlier.

John Beam — Laney College’s athletic director and former head football coach, who gained national relevance for his appearance in Netflix’s docuseries “Last Chance U” — has died after being shot on th...

Mayor Barbara Lee described Beam as a “giant” and a mentor, educator and lifeline for young people.