Three weeks after being fatally shot, actor Johnny Wactor, who appeared in “General Hospital,” was shot dead. Friends and family gathered in downtown Los Angeles on June 12 to demand justice and urged the city government to offer a reward to catch the killer.
According to the city’s news agency, 37-year-old Wactor was shot early on May 25. He and a colleague had just finished work at the Level 8 bar/restaurant and were walking towards their car parked near Hope Street and Pico Boulevard. Police said they encountered a group of thieves attempting to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s car, and one of them shot him as he approached.
Organizers of the event stated, “Unfortunately, what happened to Johnny could happen again.” “In Los Angeles, the probability of becoming a victim of violent crime is 1 in 119, and property crime is 1 in 36. Our city is one of the highest crime-rate cities in America, only slightly safer than 7% of U.S. cities.”
The organizers said, “Johnny’s family and friends are calling on local community leaders to take legislative and municipal measures, not only to make progress in Johnny’s case but also to make the city he once called home safer.”
The group plans to gather near the shooting site to demand justice. They also plan to march to City Hall, urging Mayor Karen Bass to fully support the LAPD’s investigation into the murder case, starting with offering a reward of at least $25,000 to encourage key informants to help capture the perpetrator.
According to the LAPD, Wactor and his colleague Anita Joy were heading to his vehicle when they encountered three armed robbers attempting to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s vehicle. Without any provocation, one of the robbers shot the victim. The police said, “The three suspects were dressed in all black and drove a dark-colored sedan. They fled northbound on Hope Street.”
Paramedics quickly transported Wactor to the hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Catalytic converters are popular targets for thieves due to the valuable metals they contain.
In a later social media post, Joy said, “We meant no harm, Johnny remained calm as usual, just telling them it’s his car, asking them to leave, with his hands up signaling peace. As gunshots pierced the night sky, Johnny was standing right between me and the shooter. After being hit by a bullet, he collapsed heavily into my arms. As I held him tightly, I cried out in fear, ‘Darling, are you okay?!’ He just replied, ‘No, I’ve been shot!’
“We were lying on the street, I tried to place his legs under him, supporting his body, screaming for help and crying for him to hold on.”
Joy said a security guard from their workplace happened to be nearby, called 911, and rushed over to wrap Wactor tightly in a jacket, trying to stop the bleeding and perform CPR.
Joy wrote, “But the injuries were too severe, the shooter was too close, he couldn’t survive, but he really tried hard to stay alive.” “I am heartbroken, and filled with anger. My only comfort is that I was with him at the time, he wasn’t facing this alone – my other comfort will be seeing these criminals brought to justice.”
Wactor appeared in nearly 200 episodes of “General Hospital” from 2020 to 2022, where he was well-known for his role as Brando Corbin. His other works include “Westworld,” “The OA,” “NCIS,” “Station 19,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Hollywood Girl.”
If you have any information about the perpetrator, please contact the Central Station of the Los Angeles Police Department at 213-486-6606. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
As of the 12th, the GoFundMe donation page set up for Wactor’s family has raised over $133,000.