Introduction
The name Cedric Irving Jr. has recently made headlines — but not for basketball. He is currently identified by Oakland police as the suspect in the fatal shooting of John Beam, the former longtime coach and athletic director at Laney College. Despite the headline “shooter,” there is no verified record of Cedric Irving Jr. being a basketball player at Laney College or Notre Dame.
Who Is Cedric Irving Jr.?
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Cedric Irving Jr. is a 27-year-old Oakland resident.
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He was arrested on November 14, 2025, in connection with the shooting of John Beam, a beloved figure at Laney College.
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According to police, this was a “very targeted incident” — not a random act of violence or robbery.
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Irving is said to have known of Beam, but investigators emphasize that they did not have a close or personal relationship.
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He played high school football at Skyline High School in Oakland, per the police.
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Notably, Irving was not a student at Laney College, but was “known to loiter on or around the campus.”
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A firearm recovered during his arrest matched the ballistic evidence from the shooting scene.
What About Laney College and Notre Dame Basketball?
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Laney College: The only connection that news reports draw between Irving Jr. and Laney is the campus where the crime happened; there is no mention of him playing any sport for Laney College.
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Notre Dame: Thorough searches across trusted sources have found no credible evidence that Cedric Irving Jr. ever played for the University of Notre Dame or its basketball program. No player profiles, roster listings, or statistical entries tie him to Notre Dame.
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Stats as a Shooter: Similarly, there are no publicly available basketball statistics (points, rebounds, assists, etc.) for someone by his name in college basketball databases or sports-reference sites.
Why the Confusion Likely Arises
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Name Misassociation: It seems probable that someone may have conflated the news about the shooting incident with a basketball player profile, leading to the mistaken assumption that Irving Jr. is (or was) a collegiate athlete.
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Misinformation Spread: With high-profile news like a campus shooting, erroneous details can spread quickly. In this case, the narrative of “Laney College” may have been misinterpreted by some as “Laney College athlete.”
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Lack of Sports Records: The absence of any sports records strongly suggests that the “stats” or “Notre Dame” tags in relation to Cedric Irving Jr. are likely inaccurate or misleading.
Current Status & Legal Implications
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Law enforcement continues to investigate. As of the latest reports, no motive has been publicly confirmed, beyond the fact that the shooting was “targeted.”
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The case has drawn significant media attention given John Beam’s legacy at Laney College and his association with the Netflix series Last Chance U.
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Irving’s arrest has sparked conversations about campus safety, the role of community colleges, and how mentorship programs intersect with local crime.
Conclusion
While the name Cedric Irving Jr. is now linked to a serious criminal case involving Laney College, there is no substantiated evidence supporting the claim that he was a basketball “shooter” (in the sports sense) at Laney or played for Notre Dame. The conflation appears to be a case of misinformation or misunderstanding. Moving forward, it’s important to rely on verified sources and court documents before attributing athletic credentials to him.
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