Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the men who fatally shot actor Johnny Wactor.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a new statement on Tuesday confirming Wactor was killed when he stumbled upon thieves trying to steal a part of his car. Three suspects fled the scene. Wactor, who played Brando Corbin on General Hospital from 2020-2022, was 37.
Here’s where the investigation stands and what his loved ones are saying.
🚨 Wactor ended bartending shift prior to altercation, was shot ‘without provocation’
LAPD officers responded to a radio call of an “assault with a deadly weapon/shooting” in downtown Los Angeles around 3:25 a.m. on May 25. They found Wactor “suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers began to render aid to the victim and requested the response of emergency medical services.”
Wactor was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Based on witness statements, Wactor had ended his shift as a bartender at a local bar and walked to his vehicle. When Wactor arrived at his vehicle, he was confronted by three individuals who had Wactor’s vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter,” the LAPD said in a statement. “Without provocation, [Wactor] was shot by one of the individuals.”
📈 Car thefts have spiked around L.A.
A catalytic converter is part of a car’s exhaust system and is essential to controlling emissions.
Converters are a popular target among thieves. Earlier this month, the LAPD reported a spike in auto thefts in two L.A. areas, and vehicle thefts in the city have increased every year since 2019.
🗣 What his family and former co-workers are saying
Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, told Fox News Digital, “They took a great human being.” She explained that her son and a co-worker stayed late to clean at the rooftop bar where they worked.
“They were walking to their car, and when they get there, Johnny’s car, which was parked in front of the co-worker’s, looked like it was jacked to one side and from what I understand, he said, ‘Hey man, you towing my car?'” she said. “And the person looked up and had a mask, and so then I guess he knew they weren’t doing that, and so he stepped in front of the co-worker and then backed up and put his hands up or both, and the person shot him.”
A statement posted on General Hospital‘s Instagram account offered condolences to Wactor’s loved ones and said they are “heartbroken” over his death. “He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day,” it read.
Wactor’s ex-fiancée Tessa Farrell reacted to the news in an emotional video posted to social media.
“It’s so sad that this is how he had to get taken from us, because he cared so much about doing the right thing and earning things, he taught me that,” she said. “I will always love him.”
➡️ The three men have not been found
“The three suspects involved were wearing all-dark clothing and driving a dark-colored sedan. The suspects fled northbound on Hope Street,” the LAPD said. Central Bureau Homicide is investigating the case and urges anyone with information to contact police at (213) 996-4142.
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