Actor Johnny Wactor, known for his role on “General Hospital,” was tragically shot and killed early Saturday morning in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old actor and a colleague were near the intersection of West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street around 3:30 a.m. when they encountered three masked thieves attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his car in downtown LA.
According to TMZ, Wactor approached the thieves without showing aggression, yet one of the suspects shot him before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Wactor was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries, as confirmed by police.
Wactor’s mother, Scarlett, provided further details to NBC. She revealed that her son had been working as a bartender at a nearby rooftop venue. After assisting with a deep clean following the last call, he and three co-workers walked to their cars. Two colleagues went in another direction, leaving Wactor and one other person. When they reached his car, which had been jacked up, Wactor initially thought it was being towed due to his unfamiliar parking spot. As he attempted to speak to one of the masked men, the suspect shot him and then escaped in a waiting vehicle.
Johnny Wactor was well-known for his portrayal of Brando Corbin on “General Hospital.” The show’s team released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), expressing their heartbreak over his untimely death and describing him as “truly one of a kind.” They added, “He was a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”