Suspect in custody after shooting of John Beam with Laney College icon in critical condition

A suspect is reportedly in custody after the shooting of legendary college football coach John Beam in Oakland.

Laney College athletic director Beam, 66, is in critical condition after being rushed to hospital following the incident Thursday.

According to ABC7 News, police took the suspect into custody early Friday morning around 3am. They are said to have been in possession of a gun.

Authorities had been searching for the suspect since they fled the scene after the shooting, which occurred on campus at around noon Thursday.

It is believed that Beam, who starred in the 2020 Netflix docuseries 'Last Chance U', was shot in the head at the fieldhouse on campus at East 8th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Police had initially responded to the incident as if it there was an active shooter, but have since determined that was not the case. 

Laney College, where he has worked since 2004, was subsequently placed on lockdown before those safety measures were lifted later in the day.

'The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our highest priority, and we are working closely with police and emergency personnel to ensure the campus remains protected,' the Peralta Community College District said in a statement.

'This is a frightening moment for our community. We encourage everyone to follow official instructions, and rely only on verified communications from the District and law enforcement.'

Beam recently starred in the fifth series of Netflix's college sports docuseries 'Last Chance U' while he was head coach of the school's football team. 

After starting as a running backs coach in 2004 and 2005, he was promoted to offensive coordinator before leading an explosive offense to three conference championships and five straight bowl game appearances.

In 2012 Beam stepped up to become head coach, guiding the team to two league titles and four bowl games.

Prior to his time as Laney College head coach, he began his coaching career as an offensive line coach at Serra High School in San Diego, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time in school history.

After a move to Oakland Beam then joined Skyline High School as a defensive coordinator in 1982, before being promoted to head coach five years later. He enjoyed his most successful period at Skyline after winning 15 championships and overseeing four undefeated seasons.